As we have previously reported, the Coral Gables COVID-19 testing site had reduced its hours for its one-day-a-week testing site. Even though most other municipalities were offering daily testing, Coral Gables City Manager Peter Iglesias was unable to secure additional test dates forcing residents to either wait for the single day it was offered or find alternative testing.
Now, the City Manager has decided to suspend testing altogether due to a “lack of demand.”
“The drop off in demand is happening in other municipalities as well. We will continue the at home testing program for residents over 65-years old and others that are homebound. This week we conducted two tests at home.” said Martha Pantin the City’s Communications Director.
The City reported 17 tests conducted this week with no positive tests reported. This follows last week’s testing which also yielded no positive tests.
The State of Florida is still reporting positive tests for the City, however, reporting an additional 17 yesterday.
Gentlemen, IT IS NOT OVER YET, and will not be over for a long while !!!!
Testing in Coral Gables was never going to work when it’s only offered one day a week. If you think you might have Covid, you can’t wait up to a week to get tested and then a few more days to get results. Better to go elsewhere and learn sooner whether you need to quarantine.
Let me get this right – the Coral Gables commission and staff expected residents to wait till the ONE day of the week that the testing site was open, then PAY $95 for the test, and then WAIT days for the result? The lack of demand only demonstrates that the city’s residents aren’t as dumb as the commission thinks we are.
Of course there is a lack of demand. Why pay $95.00 when you can drive to Tropical Park and test for free???
Of course there was no demand. At $95 when you can get it free elsewhere…
I’ve had 2 thru hospital as was doing outpatient procedures…
additional funding when people are being charged?
I know a couple of people said for that they’d go through their PCP’s and insurance would pick up the cost…
The same lab, charges $20 less at their main site.
If the Gables tests were $75 instead of $95 each, there would be more demand at the Gables site.
The test site closing saddens me.
Pure Coral Gables! Eliminate testing on a dollar-driven pretext. This just isn’t acceptable, especially in light of the conflict between The Gables’ reported results (“zero positive”) and The State’s (17): much though I’m loathe to take Tallahassee’s word on anything, in this narrow sector I’ll take the State over self-interested, self-promoting Coral Gables.
Reinstate the damned tests, Mr. Iglesias! Gables residents are far more important than your parochial and wrongly-skewed “demands.” You weren’t hired to serve one segment only of the city’s population.
City Managers have come and, more importantly, gone (under pressure, like a feral cat at the business end of a fire hose) before. You’re looking to make yourself next. Oh, and: if you take the time and use city resources to determine who I am, by all means, come see me . . .
Isn’t this the site that was CHARGING for tests and making you pay in advance???