My COVID-19 Test at Tropicana Field Experience
There’s been a lot of bad news given the COVID-19 life we’ve been living through. So it’s nice to be able to pass along some good news.
We’re really getting good at this testing thing in Pinellas County. When I started getting a crazy bad headache today, in the back of my mind, I’m of course wondering if I was finally being paid a visit by the coronavirus. I know a few friends who’ve had it recently. I’d had a few headaches this week and I never get them. The last thing I’d want to do is infect someone at the radio station if I had it and just didn’t know. MJ, Mason and I all use the same equipment with the same buttons. We clean the studio often, but better safe than sorry.
I’d read on social media that the workers administering tests at Tropicana Field were efficient. Off to The Trop I went. I was able to narrow down the timeline via the texts and pics on my phone.
2:09pm
I pulled into line at Tropicana Field. A gentleman had a clipboard with a QR code for me to snap a pic with my phone. One tap on my phone and it took me to a registration page. I pulled ahead and entered my name, address, email address, and date of birth. The site also asked about which symptoms I had.
2:13pm
By the time I finished tapping all that info in, I was met by a greeter who confirmed my identity by checking to see if my verbal answers match the ones I put in. I was never asked about my insurance. I didn’t pay a dime.
2:19pm
I pulled up for my test. This was the longest wait of the process only because the vehicle in front of me had 4 people inside. A scrape in both of my nostrils and I was sent on my way. And every single worker was SO friendly! They said I’d have my results wthin the hour via text… likely within 30 minutes. I figured I’d go grab a bite to eat while I wait. It didn’t even take that long.
2:42pm
I wasn’t even back to the radio station yet when I got the text with a link to my results. Negative by the way. Thanks to all the workers at Tropicana Field. Thanks to our doctors, researchers and first responders who are getting us through this. And thanks to those who’ve worn a mask that might have helped me get that negative test result.
Super Bowl Memories in Tampa
