Free COVID-19 testing pop-ups planned
KCaulder@CalhounTimes.com
Free COVID-19 testing will be provided at three separate pop-up testing sites on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of next week, according to Gordon County Emergency Management Director Courtney Taylor. The pop-ups will be held in Fannin, Pickens and Murray counties and will be open from 9 to 11 a.m. for those who register in advance.
In Fannin County, testing will be offered on Tuesday, May 5, at Blue Ridge United Methodist Church, located at 235 Orvin Lance Drive. On Wednesday, May 6, testing will take place at Pickens County’s Mt. Zion Baptist Church, located at 1036 N. Main St. Testing Murray County will be held at the Parks and Recreation Department, located at 651 Hyden Tyler Road, on Thursday, May 7.
COVID-19 testing is free, but people who meet the criteria for testing must register in advance by calling 1-888881-1474.
People who are eligible for testing include:
Anyone who has COVID-19 symptoms, such as: fever or feeling feverish, runny nose, cough, muscle aches, chills, sore throat, nausea or vomiting, abdominal pain, loss of taste, loss of smell, headache, shortness of breath, and diarrhea, among others.
Anyone who does or does not have COVID-19 symptoms and is also one of the following: a healthcare worker, first responder, law enforcement officer, resident or worker in a long-term care facility, or a resident or worker in a congregate setting.
“We have assisted in the free testing of hundreds of residents at three public health drive-thru sites in Cherokee, Gilmer and Whitfield counties,” said North Georgia Health District Director Dr. Zachary Taylor. “But there are people who have barriers for getting COVID-19 testing, such as lack of transportation, so we want to remove those barriers and make it easier for as many people as possible to be tested.”
TESTING,
Free COVID-19 testing is also being offered in Bartow, Floyd, Paulding and Walker counties for those with symptoms and those living in long-term care facilities or group residences experiencing an outbreak, as well
as individuals who have been exposed to COVID-19 either through their work, such as healthcare professionals or first responders.
People hoping to be tested at these locations must be screened first. Screenings are offered over the phone on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Referrals are also accepted at district1-1.eoc@dph. ga.gov. Call 706-802-5885 to be screened.
As of noon on Thursday, there were 26,033 confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 in Georgia. There have been 1,107 deaths in the state so far. In Gordon County, per the Department of Public Health, there have been 92 confirmed positive cases and 12 deaths.