Miami's rich-poor divide is exposed by flawed Covid-19 testing

[Judi Lynn]

Fisher Island’s super-rich have bought rapid-test kits from the local university while poorer Floridians are made to wait

Richard Luscombe in Miami

@richlusc
Thu 16 Apr 2020 06.00 EDT

The first cars arrive at Hard Rock Stadium shortly after 4am. It is three hours until sunrise, and five before the state-run coronavirus drive-through testing station opens its gates, but the early arrivals, some coughing and feverish, all wearing face masks, want to be sure of their slot.

Even so, some are out of luck. With a daily capacity of only 400 tests, it takes authorities fewer than 120 minutes to exhaust their limited supply of throat swabs, and those at the back of the queue – after hours waiting in temperatures close to 90F – are sent away to try another day.

Meanwhile, over on Fisher Island, a swanky enclave for the super wealthy barely 15 miles away, and where the average annual income is $2.5m, it is a different story.

Island managers’ controversial private purchase of thousands of rapid Covid-19 blood test kits from the University of Miami’s health system means there is no need for any resident to leave the island or wait in line with the public at large.

More:
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/apr/16/miams-coronavirus-testing-exposes-covid-19

[getagrip_already]

1. interesting how these deliveries aren't being seized by fema.....

Or the labs supplying them being cut off from critical materials.

Interesting.....