Here’s what it’s like at ground zero for coronavirus testing in the Florida Keys
Advanced Urgent Care of the Keys, which has three clinics in Monroe County in each of the major population areas — Key West, Marathon and Key Largo — usually conducts no more than six or seven coronavirus tests a day.
On Wednesday, 20 tests were conducted at the Key West clinic alone, and 17 more people were tested there on Thursday, said Dr. Bruce Boros, Urgent Care owner. He noted that tests are not administered unless people show symptoms indicative of COVID-19, the virus caused by the novel coronavirus.
He wondered Thursday, “Is this a surge?”
On Friday, Boros said another 15 to 20 people were tested at all three clinics.
Of the roughly 273 COVID-19 tests conducted in Monroe County as of Thursday, Boros said Advanced Urgent Care of the Keys did 152 of them. He said that if 10 of those people test positive, “It would show a rising trend.”
“I doubt that would be a one-off,” Boros said.
Boros has been vocal in his criticism of Monroe County’s response to the COVID-19 crisis, saying even the checkpoints on U.S. 1 and County Road 905 do not go far enough in keeping non-residents out of the Keys.
He said the airports in Key West and Marathon should also be shut down, as well as marinas, which he said people are using to circumnavigate the checkpoints.
Capt. David Dipre of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said Friday morning that his officers are receiving reports that some Keys marinas are still taking reservations from out-of-county boaters.
“Boats are still pouring into some of the marinas,” Dipre said on an Emergency Management conference call with other government officials and Keys business leaders.
But Boros is even more critical of the Florida Department of Health’s Keys office for not reaching out weeks ago to private-practice doctors and nurses, who he calls the “front line” in the battle against the virus.
A public-private effort among the Keys medical community could have helped the county prepare for the cases it’s already dealing with, Boros said, and in the event the Keys’ three hospitals become overwhelmed.
“It cannot be about the three hospitals in Monroe County during a pandemic,” Boros said.
He objected to statements made by Bob Eadie, administrator of the Health Department in the Keys, who said Wednesday that his office lacked the supplies and personnel to conduct community testing in the island chain.
Boros said if there is a lack of supplies, it’s largely because the Health Department never reached out to local doctors, and rebuffed offers of help by doctors like himself to the department and county.
“Their attitude has been, ‘We’re in control,’” Boros said. “I think what we’ve found out is they’re out of control. I’ve been testing for a month.”
Eadie did not return a request for comment on Boros’ complaints.
Boros first sounded the alarm about COVID-19 in the Keys during a March 3 meeting of the Key West City Council after reading about a case in Washington state where an asymptomatic man spread the virus to an assisted living home and six people died.
He told commissioners then that the Department of Health was not taking the disease seriously enough.
“I’ve never been invited to a meeting, and we’re the first medical people who are dealing with this,” he said at the meeting.
The county, however, can’t be blamed for the shortage of test kits, said Dr. Jack Norris, chief of staff at Lower Keys Medical Center.
“How are they going to get more test kits at the county level when we have a shortage in the entire country,” Norris said. “If we had test kits, the county could do more with private industry. If we don’t have test kits, we don’t have test kits.”
Norris said Friday he is running low on kits himself.
As of Friday afternoon, 38 people in the Keys tested positive for COVID-19, according to the Department of Health. Most of the cases, 19, are in Key West, where a 55-year-old man died of the disease Thursday night.
Urgent Care does not charge for COVID-19 testing. The tests are shipped via FedEx to a company called Diatherix where they are processed. Boros said results come back within 48 hours.
Although Urgent Care doesn’t charge for the tests, patients may eventually receive a bill if Diatherix, the federal government and insurance companies don’t reach an agreement.
“So for 90 days, they’re not billing anybody. However, if the government or insurance companies don’t come to an agreement of some sort, anybody who has this test might get a bill after 90 days, and if they quick pay it, it’s $130,” Boros said.
People seeking tests at Urgent Care will be charged about $150, however, for the evaluation, consultation and mandatory flu swab, Boros said.
Nevertheless, like most businesses, Boros said he is losing money from the pandemic. But he said he will continue to keep his staff of 70 healthcare professionals, including seven rotating doctors, on the payroll and continue buying supplies like masks and gloves so he can continue testing people for COVID-19.
“During a time like this, you need all hands on deck,” he said. “We’re in the red, but we have to keep going.”
Boros did receive good news on Friday. Monroe County Emergency Management told him that supplies, including much needed masks, are on the way to his clinics.
“Thank God, because I was just about to tell my people you’re not doing this anymore if we can’t get more masks,” he said. “My people are very appreciative. A big thank you from all three clinics.”
So far, Monroe County has largely followed the state’s lead in its efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19. The county closed its beaches, boat ramps and fishing bridges, and prohibited restaurants from serving seated customers. The county is also following Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ executive order he signed Wednesday urging everyone to stay home through April except for essential activities.
However, there is significant confusion as to what else beyond grocery shopping, getting gas for your car and medical care constitutes essential services. In the Keys, for instance, the county had to address on its Facebook page concerns from people thinking the order means they can’t go on their boats.
Kristen Livengood, county spokeswoman, said boaters are allowed on the water, but vessels must remain 50 feet from one another.
The county is in the process of updating its policy, said Monroe Mayor Heather Carruthers, who said Friday that a clarification from DeSantis’ office this week is making matters more difficult.
“The clarification confused us all,” she said during an Emergency Management conference call.
This story was originally published April 3, 2020 at 3:36 PM with the headline "Here’s what it’s like at ground zero for coronavirus testing in the Florida Keys."
