More COVID-19 tests available
♦ Blood Assurance is taking plasma donors who have recovered from the disease.
The move by the Georgia Department of Public Health to increase the number of testing sites for COVID-19 marks a step toward more widespread testing — but officials warn there are still exclusions and protocols that need to be followed.
Officials announced Tuesday that free tests for the coronavirus are now available at remote specimen collection sites statewide, by way of a referral from local health departments.
On Wednesday Logan Boss, communications director for the Northwest Georgia Public Health District, had several cautions.
First, the increase in the number of tests will have an effect on the data published concerning COVID-19 infections.
“The fact that we have more tests available to give and have expanded the criteria for people who are eligible to get tested will increase the number of people tested,” Boss said. “More testing will see more positive cases showing up in the data.”
Anyone who exhibits the symptoms of COVID-19, such as a fever, dry cough, or shortness of breath, is eligible for the testing. Priority, however, will be given to healthcare workers, first responders, law enforcement, and long-term care facility residents and staff — regardless of whether they exhibit symptoms.
Also, while the tests are more available, Boss stressed that people still need a referral from either their local health department or a health care provider, such as a primary care physician.
Northwest Georgia residents can call the Northwest Georgia Health District COVID-19 Testing Line at 706-802-5329 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 8:30 a.m. to noon Saturday to be screened.
Boss said only those who are evaluated and given a referral — or PUI — number will be directed to the nearest collection site and tested.
Results from the new testing sites will be available within 24 hours, a faster turnaround time than with previously available tests. “It’s certainly a move toward more readily available testing. I wish we had more right now, but it is more than we’ve been able to work with since this crisis started,” Boss said.
He added that, as they are able to get more tests locally, they could expand the criteria for those who are eligible for testing depending on if the demand is there. “And we do anticipate that demand being there,” Boss said.
Plasma donors help trial
Blood Assurance is accepting convalescent plasma donations from people who have tested positive for COVID-19
and recovered as part of a new treatment for the virus.
Sen. Bruce Thompson, R-white, came to the Blood Assurance on Shorter Avenue on Wednesday afternoon and donated plasma for the Fda-approved trial where the plasma is transfused from a recovered COVID-19 donor into a critically ill patient.
Thompson tested positive for the virus last month. He was released from the hospital on March 21 and has made a full recovery, testing negative for COVID-19.
Blood Assurance is collecting this plasma in an effort to save critically ill patients and will be collecting, processing and shipping the plasma to patients in need. Those who have recovered from COVID-19 and would like to donate plasma can visit www. bloodassurance.org/covidplasma to sign up and find out more about this new treatment.
Floyd cases stay flat
The number of Floyd County residents who have tested positive for
COVID-19 remained at 120 Wednesday night, while the total cases in Georgia topped 15,000 according to the state Department of Public Health.
It is the first time since March 19 that the DPH has not reported a new case in Floyd County. Only two new cases were reported for Tuesday.
Public Health releases a daily coronavirus status report at noon and 7 p.m. on its website, dph.georgia.gov. It lists cases by the person’s place of residence, not necessarily where they are being treated.
Statewide, there were 15,260 people diagnosed with the disease. That’s an increase of 682 cases since the 7 p.m. report on Tuesday. Nearly 20% of those — 3,006 — had symptoms serious enough to require hospitalization.
There were 52 new Covid-related deaths reported since Tuesday night, bringing Georgia’s total to 576 fatalities.
Bartow County, which was one of the early hot spots for the virus in Georgia, reported seven more cases on Wednesday and three more Covid-related deaths to bring its total to 237 cases and 20 deaths.