Editor's Note: This page is no longer being updated. Please visit wjct.org/coronavirus for current coverage.
Several readers have reached out with questions about coronavirus. Here are the answers.
What questions do you have about coronavirus and its impact on Northeast Florida or Southeast Georgia? Send us your questions, and we might add your question and the answer to this post.
Q: Who is eligible for a coronavirus test?
Q: In Northeast Florida, where can patients get a coronavirus test?
Q: Why might I want to get a coronavirus antibody test? And where can I get one in Northeast Florida?
Q: Will hospitals in Jacksonville take homemade masks and other supplies?
Q: How many people are being monitored for suspected coronavirus in Northeast Florida?
Q: What can I do if coworkers are sick but won’t stay home, or my boss won’t let them stay home?
Q: Has anyone tested positive, or have been hospitalized, from the Beaches?
Q: Do we know how long an asymptomatic COVID-infected person remains contagious?
Q: What do I do if I suspect price gouging during the pandemic?
Q: How long does COVID-19 stay on non-treated surfaces?
Q: Does Advil worsen the symptoms of COVID-19?
ANSWERS
Q: Who is eligible for a coronavirus test?
A: Anyone can get tested for coronavirus, regardless of symptoms, age or travel history.
Q: In Northeast Florida, where can patients get a coronavirus test?
In Duval County:
Testing sites in Duval County and details about each one are on the map below, which is updated by the city of Jacksonville.
If you prefer a text-based list of locations, they are also available on this city JaxReady webpage.
In St. Johns County:
Testing is available at the following locations, according to the Florida Department of Health in St. Johns County:
- FREE - Flagler Hospital
- Monday - Friday 7:00am - 11:00am *(or until the maximum number of daily tests are collected)
400 Health Park Blvd.
St. Augustine, FL 32086
Parking Lot B - Parent/Guardian must be present for Children under 18 to be tested
- Photo ID is Required
- Testing is available for All Ages
- You do Not need to show symptoms
- Doctors note is Not needed
- Appointment is Not Required
- To Expedite your visit read: SJC Press Release
- Monday - Friday 7:00am - 11:00am *(or until the maximum number of daily tests are collected)
- MedOne Urgent Care
- Monday – Sunday 10:00am – 6:00pm
841 S. Ponce De Leon Suite 4
Tel: 904-436-1553
- Monday – Sunday 10:00am – 6:00pm
- CareSpot
- Monday – Sunday 8:00am – 8:00pm
- In St. Augustine: 904-429-0001
- In Nocatee: 904-543-3677
- In Durbin Park: 904-295-0038
- CVS
- 2703 N Ponce De Leon Blvd: 904-824-2838
- 120 St. Johns Commons Road: 904-824-9177
- 430 State Rd 13: 904-287-6369
- Avecina Medical
- Monday – Friday 8:00am – 8:00pm
- Saturday – Sunday: 8:00am –5:00pm
- 1633 Race Track Road: 904-230-6988
In Clay County:
A free drive through testing site for Clay County residents is open at the Florida Department of Health in Clay County Administrative Offices located at 1305 Idlewild Ave., Green Cove Springs. A free pack of five reusable cloth facemasks will be given to each individual tested. Call 877-252-9362 to make an appointment from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays
Children under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. You do not need to have signs or symptoms to be tested. Bring your Clay County ID and your own pen. Testing forms available at Alert.ClayCountyGov.com. Forms will also be available on site.
If you have not been contacted within five days after testing, you may request your results by Calling: (850) 583-2419 Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. or sending an email to: COVID19Results@cdrmhealth.com. You will be prompted to complete an Authorization to Release Information.
The testing lab may contact you with results by an unknown or private number. If your phone settings block these numbers, you may not receive the call.
Additional testing locations -You must be symptomatic to visit the following:
If you are insured and have a primary care physician, please contact your physician for evaluation and further direction. If you are uninsured or are insured and meet the criteria for testing, contact CareSpot for instructions.
- CareSpot Middleburg 904-406-8240
- CareSpot Orange Park 904-213-0600
If you are uninsured or are insured, but don't have a primary care physician, please contact one of the following clinics regarding their sliding fee scale or if they accept your insurance.
- Palms Medical Group Orange Park 904-688-3000
- Aza Health Green Cove Springs 904-284-5904
- Aza Health Keystone Heights 352-473-6595
In Nassau County
Drive-up testing is available at the Yulee Target site seven days a week from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. At last check, testing at the location was scheduled to end on approximately August 22.
The Florida Division of Emergency Management is staffing the locations. Each person is required to provide a photo identification and register. They will then return to their vehicle or wait in a shaded area until their specimen collection kit is ready. Results are expected to be available within five to seven days from the date of collection.
For additional updates about COVID-19 testing in Nassau County see this Florida Health Nassau County page.
Q: Why might I want to get a coronavirus antibody test? And where can I get one in Northeast Florida?
A: According to NPR’s Shots blog: “Antibody tests identify people who have previously been infected with the coronavirus. They do not show whether a person is currently infected.”
A word of caution: Due to a glut of unregulated antibody tests, individual results may not be accurate, so health officials don’t believe people should make health decisions based solely on what they say. Still, in aggregate, they can be a helpful gauge of how far coronavirus has spread in a community.
“This is primarily a good way to track the spread of the coronavirus through a population,” NPR says.
Antibody testing is available:
- Through QuestDirect. This option allows you to make an appointment at any Quest location in Florida.
- Through LabCorp
- Through Telescope telemedicine providers, with an in-person visit to either LabCorp or Quest Diagnostics
In St. Johns County:
At Avencia Medical - Julington Creek Branch, 1633 Race Track Road, St Johns, FL 32259
It is not required but helpful to bring a copy of test results to show you have previously tested positive for the virus. The cost is $255 including the office visit for the antibody testing. Some insurances will cover costs. Patients can walk in without an appointment but cannot have symptoms. For additional information, call 904-230-6988 or visit www.avecina.com/our-services/urgent-care/.
Q: Will hospitals in Jacksonville take homemade masks and other supplies?
As of Wednesday, March 25, Baptist Health is looking for donated 100% cotton masks and other personal protective equipment. More information is here.
Several Northeast Florida groups are making masks to combat the shortage in hospitals, emergency rooms and assisted living facilities. If you are interested in helping or donating materials or money, read more about these groups here. [Return To Questions List]
Q: How many people are being monitored for suspected coronavirus in Northeast Florida?
A: In order to protect personally identifiable health information of Floridians, the Florida Department of Health is not releasing community-specific numbers of people who are under public health monitoring.
Data about how many people are infected in each ZIP code and county is on the state's coronavirus dashboard. This information is updated daily.
“Balancing the privacy of the individuals being tested and Floridians to disclose information to protect the public is a vital role of the Florida Department of Health. Due to the nature of a unique virus, such as COVID-19, to share how many people in each community that have been tested or are under public health monitoring could potentially release identifying information, especially in Florida’s smaller communities,” a Health Department spokesperson said in an email to WJCT News in early March.
Additionally, the Florida Department of Health is encouraging all Floridians to be aware. Floridians should practice good hand hygiene and wash their hands with soap and water for a minimum of 20 seconds, use a tissue when they sneeze or cough and immediately dispose of it in the trash and stay home if they are sick. [Return To Questions List]
Q: Has anyone tested positive, or have been hospitalized, from the Beaches?
A: Check your ZIP code’s numbers on the state coronavirus dashboard (select the Cases by ZIP Code tab at the bottom of the page). The dashboard is updated with new data once per day.
The Florida Department of Health said the ZIP code data is “ideally a representation of a COVID-19 positive person's residence. However, there are instances where the ZIP code may reflect the hospital where a person was admitted or tested.” The state said it’s working to review the case locations and correct any inconsistencies.
Q: Do we know how long an asymptomatic COVID-infected person remains contagious?
A: "Can those people who are completely asymptomatic, who never develop any symptoms, transmit the infection? That's still kind of an open question," Tara Smith, a Kent State University epidemiologist, told NPR.
What we do know is that completely asymptomatic COVID-19-positive people tend to be the exception rather than the rule. So far, about 75% of people who test positive without showing symptoms turn out to be presymptomatic, displaying coughing, fatigue, fever and other signs of COVID-19 in a later follow-up exam. That’s because symptoms can take up to two weeks after an infection to appear.
For those who have COVID-19 symptoms and were directed to care for themselves at home, the CDC says they may discontinue isolation under the following conditions:
- At least three days (72 hours) have passed since resolution of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications.
- Improvement in respiratory symptoms (e.g., cough, shortness of breath) occurs.
- At least a week has passed since symptoms first appeared.
You can read more about what scientists know about people without symptoms on NPR’s Goats and Soda blog. [ Return To Questions List ]
Q: What can I do if coworkers are sick but won’t stay home, or my boss won’t let them stay home?
A: You can report sick people and employers to local and state authorities.
Florida law allows the state surgeon general to enforce isolation or quarantine on people with contagious diseases who pose a threat to public health. Violating those isolation or quarantine orders is a second-degree misdemeanor punishable by up to 60 days in jail or a fine of up to $500.
If you suspect someone of posing a danger to public health, you can report them to the Duval County Health Department via email at CHD16_DCHD_Contact@flhealth.gov or by phone at 904-253-1850. The department’s attorneys will investigate, and law enforcement would be called if needed.
Q: What do I do if I suspect price gouging during the pandemic?
A: State Attorney General Ashley Moody’s office says it’s prioritizing reports of price gouging on these items during the COVID-19 crisis:
- Protective masks, sanitizing and disinfecting supplies, such as hand sanitizer, gel, wipes, cleaning supplies for surface cleaning, including paper towels, and commercial cleaning supplies.
- Personal protective equipment (PPE), including gowns, booties, gloves and other protective gear.
- COVID-19 test kits, swabs and related consumable medical supplies used in administering tests.
Anyone who wants to report suspected price gouging or scams can contact the Florida attorney general’s hotline at 1-866-966-7226 or file an online complaint here.
Kylie Mason with the Office of the Attorney General said investigators look at every case individually.
“There is no exact quantification on the threshold,” Mason said in an email to WJCT News. “Our Consumer Protection Division reviews each allegation of price gouging on a case-by-case basis, taking into account not only the price charged, but other possible factors under the law such as any additional costs proven by the merchant.”
Violators of price gouging in Florida can receive fines from $1,000 to $25,000, depending on how many violations are found. [Return To Questions List]
Q: A traveler who returned to Jacksonville from Italy in the last two weeks now has a fever and a cough. What should he do?
A: Travelers (and anyone else) can check their risk for coronavirus exposure using this CDC risk assessment.
People should remain alert. If they feel feverish or develop cough or difficulty breathing, they should take their temperature, limit contact with others, and seek advice by telephone from a healthcare provider or their local health department to determine whether medical evaluation is needed.
If public health authorities determine someone qualifies for active monitoring, the state or local public health authority will regularly communicate with the potentially exposed person. For people with high-risk exposures, CDC recommends communication at least once each day.
More information for travelers from the CDC is here.
Q: How long does COVID-19 stay on non-treated surfaces?
A:The World Health Organization says coronaviruses can stay on surfaces for between a few hours and several days.
The type of surface, temperature and the humidity of the environment account for the time range.
A study released on March 17 by the New England Journal of Medicine found the virus is detectable for up to 24 hours on cardboard and up to 72 hours on plastic and stainless steel.
The WHO recommends cleaning surfaces with a simple disinfectant to kill the virus, while Harvard Health Publishing points out frequent cleaning of household surfaces is needed because if an infected person coughs or sneezes, even a recently clean surface can become contaminated again.
Q: Does Advil worsen the symptoms of COVID-19?
A: Advil is a brand name for ibuprofen, which is sold under various brands, also including Nurofen. Concern about using ibuprofen as a COVID-19 treatment took off after French officials warned that anti-inflammatory drugs could worsen the effects of the virus. Science Alert reported French Health Minister Olivier Veran issued the warning, citing a study in The Lancet medical journal.
But the World Health Organization (WHO) wrote shortly thereafter on March 18 that “based on currently available information, WHO does not recommend against the use of ibuprofen.” WHO said it has been consulting with physicians treating COVID-19 patients and “are not aware of reports of any negative effects, beyond the usual ones that limit its use in certain populations.”
The European Medicines Agency also said while it is monitoring the situation, there’s “currently no scientific evidence establishing a link between ibuprofen and worsening of COVID-19.”
NPR reported on March 19 that Dr. Carlos del Rio, a professor of infectious diseases and global health at Emory University's Department of Medicine, agrees with the European Medicines Agency’s assessment. "I think the minister of health of France is wrong [in] prohibiting the use of ibuprofen based on limited data," del Rio said.
Questions have been edited for length and clarity.
Updated on March 17 to include new state testing criteria.
Corrected on 3/12/20 at 7:45 p.m.: The URL of the state's daily COVID-19 update webpage was corrected. We regret the error.
Contact WJCT News Director Jessica Palombo at 904-358-6315, jpalombo@wjct.org or on Twitter at @JessicaPubRadio.
