Country decides to extend hours at two testing sites

Because demand has surged, locations will now close at 5 p.m.

As the demand for COVID-19 tests rises, the DeKalb County Board of Health is extending the hours for free testing at two locations this week.

The additional testing capacity today and Thursday follows isolated incidents in which the DeKalb County Board of Health ran out of coronavirus tests due to high demand.

The number of people that show up without an appointment has sometimes affected the availability of tests later in the day, health board spokesman Eric Nickens said.

“Even with projecting for additional daily capacity beyond scheduled appointments, demand has, in a few rare instances, exceeded those projections,” Nickens said. The health board is now ending on-site registration for those without an appointment earlier in the afternoon.

Nickens also said some residents have shown up for a test ahead of their scheduled day and time; he urged people to wait until their assigned time.

Thursday, the Board of Health will extend testing until 5 p.m. — two hours later than normal — at the following locations:

■ Former K-Mart store parking lot (at I-285 and Buford Highway), 5597 Buford Highway NE, Doraville, 30340

■ Rehoboth Baptist Church, 2997 Lawrenceville Highway, Tucker, 30084

The following locations will continue to offer testing Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m.:

■ Beulah Missionary Baptist Church, 2340 Clifton Springs Road, Decatur, 30034

■ Greater Piney Grove Baptist

Church, 1879 Glenwood Ave. SE, Atlanta, 30316

■ Greenforest Community Baptist Church, 3250 Rainbow Drive, Decatur, 30034

■ Salem Bible Church, 5460 Hillandale Drive, Stonecrest, 30058

Making an appointment ahead of time is “strongly encouraged.” To do so, visit dekalbhealth.net, or call the COVID-19 Call Center at 404-294-3700, Option 1. Several private health care providers like CVS and Piedmont Urgent Care also offer COVID-19 tests.

PHOTOS BY CURTIS COMPTON / CCOMPTON@AJC.COM A DeKalb County Probation Officer helps direct more than 200 motorists arriving for free COVID-19 testing at a pop-up site at the House of Hope on May 4 in Decatur. The DeKalb County Board of Health is ending on-site registration for those without an appointment earlier in the afternoon.

“Even with projecting for additional daily capacity beyond scheduled appointments, demand has, in a few rare instances, exceeded those projections,” says DeKalb County Board of Health spokesman Eric Nickens.