10 Things To Know About New St. Pete COVID-19 Testing Site

This week, the parking garage at The Mahaffey Theater became the newest coronavirus testing site in the area. If you’re thinking of heading downtown St. Pete, here’s what you need to know before you go, according to Bay News 9.

• Weekend Availability

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  For many, testing during office hours of weekdays is tough so this site will be open Saturdays.

• Appointments

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  Unlike many sites, you do not need to schedule a visit.

• 4 Per Car

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  They'll test all four people in your vehicle.
• Insurance

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  You don't need health insurance to get tested.

• Drive Thru Service

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  No getting out of your car. It's strictly a drive up testing site. Show up in your pajamas!

• Hours

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  The testing site opens at 11am and goes until 7pm.
• Test Kits

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  1,200 a day can be tested at this location.

• Symptoms

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  If you are not showing symptoms of COVID-19, you can still be tested.

• What you must provide…

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  You do need to give them your name and contact information so they can give you your test results.
• Volunteers Needed

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  Help people get free testing, support registration and traffic control. Shifts of 3-4 hours are available. Contact maryburrell@pinellascounty.org or call 727-464-3815.

• Cost

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  Testing is free.

• Location

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  The Mahaffey Theater is downtown St. Pete at 400 1st Street.
• Who’s overseeing this site?

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  This is operated by a partnership of state and local government agencies.

• More scenes from The Mahaffey Theater test site…

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  Healthcare workers meet before the COVID-19 drive-thru testing begins at the Duke Energy for the Arts Mahaffey Theater on July 8, 2020 in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Pinellas County Government partnered with state and local health care agencies to open a COVID-19 testing site while the state undergoes another surge in coronavirus cases.

• More scenes from The Mahaffey Theater test site…

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• More scenes from The Mahaffey Theater test site…

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• More scenes from The Mahaffey Theater test site…

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  The Pinellas County Emergency Management meets with the Community Emergency Response Team at the COVID-19 drive-thru testing site at the Duke Energy for the Arts Mahaffey Theater on July 8, 2020 in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Pinellas County Government partnered with state and local health care agencies to open a COVID-19 testing site while the state undergoes another surge in coronavirus cases.

• More scenes from The Mahaffey Theater test site…

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  Registered nurse Gina Aubourg begins testing at the COVID-19 drive-thru testing site at the Duke Energy for the Arts Mahaffey Theater.
• U.S. Struggles With Coronavirus Amid A Surge Of New Cases

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  People wait in line to enter the COVID-19 drive-thru testing site at the Duke Energy for the Arts Mahaffey Theater.

10 states Floridians might want to avoid traveling to this summer…

You don’t want to spend your vacation in quarantine, but if you travel right now to these states, that’s how you’ll spend your trip. Chances are you only get two weeks of vacation a year. So these are states you should avoid traveling to right now, according to Channel 8. Many of these states are worried about travelers from coronavirus hotspots like Florida so they’re imposing a mandatory 14 day quarantine period.

• Massachusetts

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  You can head to my home state of Maine for some lobstah... no restrictions for Florida travelers there (yet).

• Hawaii

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  You'll get a lei and a quarantine.

• New York

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  Lady Liberty will wait for you to visit some other time.
• New Mexico

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  That Roswell visit will have to wait. The aliens will still be there.

• New Jersey

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  You'll have to watch Jersey Shore on MTV for now.

• Pennsylvania

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  The Liberty Bell and cheesesteaks are great, but maybe not right now.
• Vermont

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  Fortunately we can enjoy Ben & Jerry's with a visit to Publix, but the mountains of Vermont are something else if you've never seen them. A trip in mid October will blow you away with the colors! And if you ever go to Burlington, Vermont - do everything you can to get breakfast at Penny Cluse Cafe.

• Kansas

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  Sorry Dorothy and Toto. You can't go home to Kansas if you've been at the Tampa dog parks.

• Connecticut

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  Honestly, you're not missing out on much here. They have some big casinos in the middle of the woods, but that's about it.
• Illinois

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  Sorry but if you're looking for hot dog or Italian beef, it looks like it's a trip to Portillo's in Brandon or Tampa for you.

• Canada

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  OK, I'm reaching for this one... I know it's not a state. But I love visiting Montreal every year. I already had to cancel plans for a visit in May. Looks like my rescheduled trip in September is iffy too. Right now there's no leisure travel allowed to Canada.

If you’re sticking around Tampa Bay, there’s plenty to do … check out the new St. Pete Pier! I paid a visit last night and snapped these pics. Source: Channel 8

• The St. Pete Pier Welcomes Visitors

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  Quite a view of the sunset from the top level restaurant.

• The St. Pete Pier Welcomes Visitors

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  View from your table if you get the right one!

• The St. Pete Pier Welcomes Visitors

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  The views of the St. Pete skyline from the rooftop bar/restaurant are pretty stunning.
• The St. Pete Pier Welcomes Visitors

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  Oh you know there's always going to be a tourist trap postcard / t-shirts shop.

• The St. Pete Pier Welcomes Visitors

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  What's a Florida attraction without a gift shop?

• The St. Pete Pier Welcomes Visitors

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  This will be a fun spot to take the wave runners out to!
• The St. Pete Pier Welcomes Visitors

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  Yes, there's plenty of room to fish!

• The St. Pete Pier Welcomes Visitors

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  The view looking toward St. Pete from the end of the pier.

• The St. Pete Pier Welcomes Visitors

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  Fish cleaning station...
• The St. Pete Pier Welcomes Visitors

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  Wanna fish?

• The St. Pete Pier Welcomes Visitors

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  Lots of lawn space to relax.

• The St. Pete Pier Welcomes Visitors

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  The design was debated forever... but I think most will like the results when seen in person.
• The St. Pete Pier Welcomes Visitors

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  Hammock! Bring a hammock next time. Great idea!

• The St. Pete Pier Welcomes Visitors

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  Fancy art. Or a blob. You be the judge.

• The St. Pete Pier Welcomes Visitors

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  Don't expect bargains downtown St. Pete these days. But the prices weren't outrageous.
• The St. Pete Pier Welcomes Visitors

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  There were a few food trucks out, but more vendors will be out on the pier this weekend.

• The St. Pete Pier Welcomes Visitors

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• The St. Pete Pier Welcomes Visitors

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  The airport and Dali museum in the distance.
• The St. Pete Pier Welcomes Visitors

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• The St. Pete Pier Welcomes Visitors

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  Free!

• The St. Pete Pier Welcomes Visitors

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  The walk takes about 10-15 minutes to get to the end of the pier.
• The St. Pete Pier Welcomes Visitors

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• The St. Pete Pier Welcomes Visitors

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  There's lots of space to stretch out.

• The St. Pete Pier Welcomes Visitors

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  Live music adds a nice touch.
• The St. Pete Pier Welcomes Visitors

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  The sprinklers light up in different colors at night.

• The St. Pete Pier Welcomes Visitors

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  Lots of cafes and snacks.

• The St. Pete Pier Welcomes Visitors

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• The St. Pete Pier Welcomes Visitors

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• The St. Pete Pier Welcomes Visitors

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  Cool touch - when the vendors are not open, the displays close up to show art.

• The St. Pete Pier Welcomes Visitors

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• The St. Pete Pier Welcomes Visitors

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  Use the hand sanitizer station on the way in near the solar panels because I did not see the others when I was roaming around.

• The St. Pete Pier Welcomes Visitors

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  This week you need a reservation to get it, but I got one without a problem just an hour before the visit.

• The St. Pete Pier Welcomes Visitors

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  Welcome... let me show ya around.