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Antibody testing at Volusia County Fairgrounds reaches capacity just a few hours after opening

Updated  May 5, 2020 12:49am EDT
Coronavirus
FOX 35 Orlando

Florida receives thousands of antibody testing

Antibody testing is already available at the Volusia County Fairgrounds.

VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. - Antibody tests are arriving into Central Florida.

Governor Ron DeSantis announced on Sunday that Florida has received a shipment of 200,000 tests and will work to distribute these to state hospitals and testing sites.

Antibody tests help identify those who have been previously exposed to coronavirus. If you have been exposed, your body will have produced antibodies, giving you protective immunity. These antibodies can be transferred to coronavirus patients in life-threatening situations through blood transfusions, possibly helping them recover. 

MORE NEWS: If you think you had coronavirus, new antibody test available without trip to doctor's office

Starting Monday in Volusia County, people can undergo antibody testing at the Volusia County Fairgrounds. An appointment is not required.

The hours for testing at this location are:

  • Monday: 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
  • Tuesday: 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
  • Wednesday: Closed
  • Thursday: 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
  • Friday: 8:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

FOX 35's Vicki Karr went to the testing site and saw a line of cars backed up. Representative David Santiago said that people outside of Volusia County came to be tested, citing that "we’re having people coming from Seminole, Orange all of the neighbor countries coming to this facility."

By 11:44 a.m., Volusia County Emergency Management announced that they had reached capacity for antibody testing and could not accept any more patients.

About 600 people made it inside for testing.

CSL Plasma was on-site handing out information to those who were tested, letting them know if they test positive for antibodies they could help further. Representative Santiago explained that "the plasma donation piece... This is the key to that if you want to get in the fight against COVID-19."

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