'Game-changing': Rapid COVID-19 tests coming to Florida

ORLANDO, Fla. - Governor Ron DeSantis says rapid COVID-19 tests are coming to Florida and it could be a game-changer when it comes to testing in the state. 

Gov. DeSantis said a 45-minute test will be available in South Florida and Jacksonville.

He said in a press conference Saturday that the state will be getting 2,000 of these tests. 

"We believe that this could be really game-changing here in the state of Florida," DeSantis said. 

Gov. DeSantis also said Saturday that another COVID-19 test that would get results in 5-15 minutes has been approved by the FDA and he's trying to bring them to the state.

He said in a press conference, the company is planning to make 50,000 per day. 

"Getting some of those rapid tests would allow us to completely transform the testing situation here," DeSantis said. 

Dr. Jason Littleton, of  Littleton Concierge Medicine, said the rapid tests could help tremendously. 

"Right now, certain clinics and certain laboratories in the area, even hospitals, they have turn-around within 24-48 hours -some 5-7 - days so this is going to help close the gap and going to help us get ahead of the game and bend the curve if possible," Dr. Littleton said. 

Dr. Littleton said the rapid tests are kits that are designed to get results in minutes at point-of-care testing, instead of being sent out to a lab.

He said the tests would be administered similarly to current COVID-19 tests. 

"They are looking for antibodies in the blood and then some are a nasal swab where they are doing a molecular diagnosis of a gene - some of the COVID-19 viral genes - so it’s the same way as in you’re using a nasal swab or a fingerprint, but this will allow us to do it at point-of-care testing," Dr. Littleton said.