Pinellas opening new coronavirus testing site Monday

Pinellas County will open a no-cost, new COVID-19 testing site Monday in response to a rising number of positive cases, according to a news release from the Florida Department of Health in Pinellas County.

COVID-19 antigen testing will be available at the Center for Health Equity, located at 2333 34th St. S., in St. Petersburg from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days a week. The building will operate on this schedule until further notice.

Facility workers may ask for insurance information. However, those without insurance will not be turned away.

The newest Pinellas testing site comes just a few days after Hillsborough opened two free sites Saturday. The Hillsborough sites opened to larger than expected crowds and administered over double the expected number of tests Saturday.

Pinellas County is unsure of wait times for the new testing site, said Maggie Hall, a public information officer with the Florida Department of Health in Pinellas County. The testing site is a response to higher demand at pre-existing sites in Pinellas.

“This is to meet a public demand,” Hall said. “But the most important thing really is to just get your vaccine.”

CDR Maguire, not the Florida Department of Health in Pinellas County, will operate and manage the Pinellas testing site. For those looking for more information on this testing site, call (850) 583-2419.

“DOH-Pinellas continues to encourage everyone who has not received a COVID-19 vaccination to get protected as soon as possible. Vaccination remains the most effective defense from COVID-19,” the news release said.

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