DOH-Lee announces pop-up walk-up testing schedule for October 

Contact:
Tammy Yzaguirre
Lee-PIO@FLHealth.gov
239-308-5196

Or

Betsy Clayton
bclayton@leegov.com
239-826-4606

Fort Myers, Fla — The Florida Department of Health in Lee County (DOH-Lee), in partnership with Lee County Government, will be providing free walk-up COVID-19 testing throughout Lee County during the month of October. Staff will have 300 tests available at each site for individuals 4-year-old or older.

In addition to the free COVID-19 testing, DOH-Lee is offering free influenza (flu) and Hepatitis A (HepA) vaccines. Flu vaccine is available for anyone who is not sick aged 6 months or older. The HepA vaccine is offered to anyone 18 years and older. All unvaccinated residents are strongly encouraged to get their flu shot as soon as possible. Flu vaccination is the best way to prevent the flu and its potentially serious complications.

Testing is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. and will continue, weather permitting, until 12:30 p.m. Children under 4 will be referred for testing to DOH-Lee. There is no fee for the test or vaccines, and no appointment or doctor’s order is necessary. Parking is limited at some sites. These are not drive-thru sites; attendees are asked to walk up to the testing area.

Influenza Vaccine

The best time to receive a flu vaccine is before flu viruses begin spreading in the community. It takes about two weeks after vaccination for antibodies to develop in the body and provide protection against flu so plan to get vaccinated early in fall, before flu season begins. CDC recommends that people get a flu vaccine by the end of October.

According to CDC, getting a flu vaccine will not protect against COVID-19, however flu vaccination has many other important benefits. Last year’s vaccine may not protect against the current year’s strain.

Even if the vaccine does not fully protect against the flu, the vaccines have been shown to reduce the risk of flu illness, hospitalization and death. Getting a flu vaccine this fall will be more important than ever, not only to reduce your risk from flu but also to help conserve potentially scarce health care resources.

Hepatitis A Vaccine

Hepatitis A is a contagious liver disease that results from infection with the hepatitis A virus (HAV). It can range in severity from a mild illness lasting a few weeks to a severe illness lasting several months. Hepatitis A is usually spread when a person ingests fecal matter—even in microscopic amounts—from contact with objects, food or drinks contaminated by feces (stool) of an infected person.

Vaccination is the best way to prevent hepatitis A.

More Information on COVID-19

To find the most up-to-date information and guidance on COVID-19, please visit the Department of Health’s dedicated COVID-19 webpage. For information and advisories from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), please visit the CDC COVID-19 website, this website is also available in Spanish and Creole.

For more information about current travel advisories issued by the U.S. Department of State, please visit the travel advisory website. For any other questions related to COVID-19 in Florida, please contact the Department’s dedicated COVID-19 Call Center by calling 1-866-779-6121. The Call Center is available 24 hours per day. Inquiries may also be emailed to COVID-19@flhealth.gov.

About the Florida Department of Health

The Florida Department of Health, nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board, works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @HealthyFla. For more information, please visit www.FloridaHealth.gov.

About the Lee County Department of Public Safety

The Lee County Department of Public Safety comprises several primary divisions with functions designed to assist residents, visitors and local government agencies. These include Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Emergency Management, Emergency Communications, and Technology Services. Follow us on Facebook.