Newsroom

After more than two months providing drive-thru test collection sites for COVID-19 across West Central Florida, BayCare has screened nearly 20,000 individuals, including testing 15,000 of them for COVID-19. As spring turns into summer, the not-for-profit health system anticipates continuing the service to meet the needs of the community.

St. Petersburg City Council Chairman Ed Montanari did everything right last Saturday afternoon when he started to feel a pressure in his chest. “It wasn’t a 911-call chest pain, but it definitely felt strange,” Montanari said. “It felt like I needed to get it checked out.” Within 10 minutes, with the help of a friend, he was headed to BayCare’s St. Anthony’s Hospital in downtown St. Petersburg.

As communities across West Central Florida begin re-opening and the novel coronavirus is becoming better understood, strategies to stay safe are evolving, too. The risk of catching the virus and contracting COVID-19 is not an either-or proposition. With smart precautions and diligence, venturing outside your home can be done safely.

BayCare is joining leading researchers around the world to help find a safe and effective treatment for COVID-19. Top clinicians and team members across the BayCare system are taking part in various clinical trials to help provide patients access to potential COVID-19 treatments and cures.

Dr. Jonathan Waxman, board-certified in general surgery and thoracic surgery, has joined BayCare Medical Group in Tampa. He is affiliated with St. Joseph's Hospital and accepting patients 18 years and older.