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Orange County COVID testing sites strained again as state resources absent

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — For the second day in a row, both of Orange County’s two mass COVID testing sites closed their queues early, with workers turning hundreds of cars away up to an hour before the advertised closing time.

This included the county’s newest site at the Econ Soccer Complex, which has closed early two out of the three days it has existed. Workers on-site said they had plenty of tests, but the county wanted the last test done exactly at 5 p.m. There weren’t enough staff to operate the location into the night.

READ: Family hosting vaccine, testing event at wake and funeral of man who died of COVID-19

“We’re just kind of scrambling trying to find a test that can get done,” Mike Raugust said, with his family in tow. The group was scheduled to depart on a cruise this weekend, with the operator requiring proof of a negative test before departure.

Others had more health-related concerns as they drove off.

“We do have the vaccine, but we’re both feeling bad,” Maggie Prince said, adding that her mother had been unwell for days and it wasn’t their first attempt to get tested. “It’s just crazy. We need more testing sites like this.”

Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings said discussions were ongoing about opening a third site to alleviate the existing two. He said an announcement could be coming by the end of the week.

READ: 3 Central Florida first responders died from COVID-19 complications this week

However, the lack of resources hasn’t been caused by a lack of effort on the county’s part. Unlike previous surges, and unlike responses in other parts of the country, the Florida Department of Health has been almost completely absent.

“I’m not aware of any additional resources the state has offered up at this point,” Demings said, chuckling at the sincerity of the question.

Local officials – in particular, Democrats – have placed the blame squarely on Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is not-so-quietly setting up a 2024 presidential run partially built on his track record of keeping the state open in the face of the pandemic.

DeSantis frequently responds to questions about the current surge by pointing to his decision to usher seniors to the front of the vaccine lines in the early days of the year. However, officials say he alone holds the keys that could unlock resources counties like Orange need.

READ: President of Florida Education Association applauds schools adding mask mandates, defying governor

“The Governor has indicated that local governments have sufficient capacity for testing and vaccines,” Florida State Representative Geraldine Thompson (D-44) said. “Unfortunately, I don’t anticipate any help from Tallahassee.”

Representatives like Thompson are unable to do more than call for resources, answer constituents’ questions and make speeches, because the Florida legislature isn’t currently in session.

Lawmakers said DeSantis could help by declaring an emergency, which would allow him to shift money toward responding to the surge. The governor, though, has been unwilling to take any steps that admit the virus is back from the brink of defeat.

“I know he wanted to have a special session and all that,” State Senator Linda Stewart (D-13) said during a press conference early Thursday. “That’s ridiculous. We need something to happen today.”

READ: Central Florida school districts aren’t yet tracking vaccinated employees as cases surge

In responding to Eyewitness News’ questions, several lawmakers took positions similar to the governor’s: increasing resources for testing shouldn’t be a priority because the state should focus on vaccinating its residents.

However, that would ignore the reality on the ground: a good portion of the cars waiting in the testing lines these days are owned by the vaccinated, who were exposed by their friends and family and worried they might have a “breakthrough” case.

“I’m just trying to do the right thing,” Kevin Mesarina said.

Eyewitness News’ questions to the Florida Department of Health went unanswered – an experience multiple lawmakers said wasn’t uncommon for the agency these days.

READ: Orange County COVID-19 vaccination rate increases as case numbers climb, Mayor says

“The Department of Health has said to us the same thing that they’re telling the locals, local mayors and county and city commissioners is that they’re not allowed to give us information,” Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Nikki Fried (D), who is a 2022 challenger to DeSantis’ seat, said.

Fried added that she was in talks with the Biden administration to circumvent the governor’s actions, though she said such talks were in the very early stages.

“It’s just a message to our school boards into our local governments do what’s right, don’t worry about the repercussions, because the people of the state are going to get your back,” she said.