NEPTUNE BEACH, Fla. — A new coronavirus testing location east of the Intracoastal Waterway is ready to open as leaders in Duval County's beach communities look to expand testing access.
Testing, which is being organized by Telescope Health, will be done in the former Anytime Fitness location in the old K-Mart plaza off Atlantic Boulevard in Neptune Beach.
The opening comes nearly one month after bars and restaurants at the Beaches began to see positive cases in employees and customers that prompted closures and cleanings.
"I think the safest way to return to a new normal is widespread testing," said Telescope Health CEO Dr. Matthew Rill.
Once opened, the site will run every week on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Testing is open to Duval County residents and employees of the City of Jacksonville.
Because this is a walk-up site, it will operate differently from drive-thru sites like the former Lot J. Rill said more precautions will be taken as testing is conducted indoors.
"We have social distancing guidelines built into the process where people will always be at least 6 feet apart," he said. "We mandate mask use while you're on the premises."
The first hour of every day the site operates, from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m., will be only for people considered to be "high risk," like those who are immune-compromised or elderly.
"I know, like my fellow beach mayors, I've been getting phone calls from people for several months saying, 'I can't get to this testing site, it's difficult for me, I don't have transportation, I have an elderly mother,'" said Atlantic Beach Mayor Ellen Glasser. "We work with our residents to try to help them out with this, but this is gonna make that job so much easier."
Officials said plans are to continue operating the testing site for the foreseeable future.