Health care center that serves Orange County’s most vulnerable struggles to get COVID-19 test kits

ORLANDO, Fla. — An Orange County health care center said it is struggling to get COVID-19 test kits.

Orange Blossom Family Health in Orlando is open for business, but the staff is now forced to prioritize who they can test for the coronavirus.

CEO Bakari Burns, who is also an Orlando city commissioner, said he is working to get more kits, but that plan hinges on Orange County securing more collection kits.

Read: Coronavirus: Where COVID-19 testing is available in Central Florida

He said the organization's seven locations have fewer than 50 test kits.

The center treats some of the most vulnerable populations in Central Florida -- the under-insured, the uninsured and the homeless, a majority of whom are African American, Hispanic or Haitian American.

Burns said he has been in talks with the Florida Department of Health in Orange County to offer more testing.

Read: State reports 44 coronavirus-related deaths Tuesday, including 6 in Central Florida

"One of the things that is going to be key to us is that we have access to those testing kits, " he said. "The last thing I want to do is to be able to advertise the testing but for individuals to show up and not be able to get what we advertised."

9 Investigates learned during a one-on-one interview with Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings on Tuesday that the county's request for a supply of kits has been ignored so far.

Demings said it has been difficult to get more test kits outside of what is being provided through the state health department, which limits the county's ability to offer more widespread testing.

Orange County officials said the county has requested 15,000 collection kits but only received 5,000 last week, and those had to be returned.

Read: Presidential debate planning proceeds despite virus worries

Much more testing needs to be done in order for us to understand what the virus means to us in this community.. we have been at the mercy of the state and federal government,” Mayor Demings said.

A county spokesman provided 9 Investigates with the following statement:

“Some collection kits were reallocated from counties and staging areas to hospitals. This is because some kits are only compatible with certain test machines. These kits were moved to ensure the best use of resources. This is standard practice during any emergency situation.”

© 2020 Cox Media Group