Hillsborough County closing COVID-19 test sites due to potential tropical weather

TAMPA, Fla. - A day after the state announced its testing sites will be closing Friday due to the potential for inclement weather, Hillsborough County made a similar move.  

On Thursday morning, county officials said they will close all testing sites within Hillsborough at the end of the day so they can secure the equipement and testing supplies, and keep things like cones and tents from potentially becoming projectiles if wind speeds increase from Tropical Storm Isaias.  

Hillsborough County will temporarily end operations at Raymond James Stadium, county community resource centers in East Tampa, Plant City, and SouthShore; and sites in Brandon, Wimauma, Sun City Center and Town N' Country. 

This means all appointments between Friday, August 1 through at least Tuesday, August 4 are canceled. The county will contact those individuals with rescheduling information.

County officials said the sites will remain closed until weather clears and it becomes safe to reopen.

Tropical Storm Isaias continues to pose a threat to Florida. Computer models shifted east and west in the past couple of days, but meteorologists still say to monitor the track closely. A key factor will depend on the interaction with the terrain of Hispaniola.