The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) announced COVID-19 testing sites in Hendry County for farmworkers as the fall harvest season begins. The announcement follows COVID-19 testing for farmworkers that was made available earlier this month in Miami Dade, Hillsborough and St. Lucie counties. Testing is made possible by a partnership with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), the Florida Division of Emergency Management and local county governments.
“Ensuring farmworkers have access to COVID-19 testing is essential to their health and safety, the well-being of their families and the security of our food supply,” stated Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried. “FDACS is proud to work with the Florida Division of Emergency Management, UF/IFAS and local governments, like Hendry County, to provide COVID-19 testing and resources as the next harvest season takes off. We will continue working together, engaging with local governments, to provide additional COVID-19 resources based on demand and availability.”
Testing Sites:
Hendry County — LaBelle
Date: Oct. 24
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Location: Barron Park, 1559 De Soto Ave., LaBelle, FL 33935
Questions: 863-302-6021
Flyer: Available for download here
Hendry County — Clewiston
Date: Oct. 28
Time: 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Location: Hendry County Health Department, 1100 South Olympia Ave., Clewiston, FL 33440
Questions: 863-302-6021
Flyer: Available for download here
Testing will be free for employers, farmworkers and their families. Testing sites will be open for walk-up services and appointments, and mobile testing for groups may be available in certain counties. Individuals will be required to wear face masks and provide a name, date of birth and phone number. Results will generally be available in 36 hours. Additional testing dates for Hendry County are forthcoming. Schedules for services will be announced weekly, based on demand and availability.
A printable flyer for the farmworker testing program may be downloaded here in English, here in Spanish and here in Creole.
Source: FDACS