FRIDAY March 20, 2020
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Daily Record JACKSONVILLE
CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC
Daily Record
Drive-thru testing site to open at the Prime Osborn
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Special to the Daily Record
Wedding planner Tara Lee, owner of LoveLee Events.
Wedding industry goes on pause
Many weddings in March and April are postponed. BY KATIE GARWOOD STAFF WRITER
Photo by Mike Mendenhall
Baptist Health Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer Tammy Daniel, left, assists during a demonstration March 19 of the COVID-19 testing facility at the Prime F. Osborn III Convention Center in Downtown Jacksonville.
Site for prescreened residents will open March 20. BY MIKE MENDENHALL STAFF WRITER
The city and two Jacksonville-based health care providers will open a locally sponsored COVID-19 testing site March 20 at the Prime F. Osborn III Convention Center. Mayor Lenny Curry announced the public-private partnership with Baptist Health and Telescope Health LLC during a news conference March 19. The Downtown site at 1000 Water St. will be open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. Curry said drive-thru testing at the Prime Osborn will be for Duval County residents exhibiting symptoms, and
people will have to be screened using Telescope Health’s virtual platform at telescopehealth.com or its mobile application before arriving. “I know a lot of citizens are concerned about this virus and want to be tested. But in order for things to run smoothly, there has to be a scheduling and screening process,” Curry said. The test will cost $25 upfront by using a promotional code “HERE4YOU” on the Telescope Health mobile app. Curry said the city is working with the medical technology company to ensure Duval County patients are reimbursed using
TESTING CRITERIA Telescope Health officials will use the following criteria to determine if someone should be tested for COVID-19: n Fever of 100.4°F or higher combined with a dry cough or shortness of breath OR . . . n Travel on any cruise ship within the past 14 days or travel to a known COVID-19 hot spot and are experiencing any of the symptoms above. n Testing will be prioritized with those 65 and over, have pre-existing conditions, are health care workers and/or first responders.
Monday morning was difficult for Tara Lee, owner of LoveLee Events. Lee, who plans weddings and other events, made a call to a client whose wedding was scheduled for March 28 to tell her the venue she booked months ago had closed because of coronavirus concerns. “I’m trying not to get emotional because you work so closely with these folks and to have to tell someone they have to cancel is a hard thing,” Lee said March 19. Since the coronavirus outbreak, businesses shut down and authorities discouraged gatherings of more than 50 people and then no more than 10. Wedding vendors have seen postponements and cancellations of nearly all their bookings for March and April. Lee is planning weddings for the fall, but she hasn’t had any inquiries in the past two weeks. “It’s a really scary thing for
SEE TESTING, PAGE 2
SEE WEDDINGS, PAGE 2
Grocery stores adjust hours, add senior times Harveys, Winn-Dixie, Publix and The Fresh Market supermarkets are adjusting their hours in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Harveys and Winn-Dixie are designating 8 to 9 a.m. Monday-Friday for senior citizens and high-risk customers. All pharmacy locations will open at 8 a.m. weekdays to serve those customers. Stores will close at 9 p.m. Beginning March 24, Publix is designating 7-8 a.m. Tuesday and Wednesday for shoppers age 65 or older. Fresh Market is opening for seniors and high-risk individuals from 8-9 a.m. Monday through Friday.
VOLUME 107, NO. 88 • ONE SECTION