ALBANY, GA-Southwest Public Health District is expanding collection of specimens for COVID-19 testing in Dougherty, Thomas and Miller Counties. Individuals who want to be tested can contact the call center from 8:30am to 5pm, Monday through Friday and 8am to noon Saturday to determine if they are eligible. This specimen collection for COVID-19 testing includes individuals in the following categories, regardless of county of residence:
- Symptoms of COVID-19
- Adult aged 60 or older
- Caregiver for elderly (age 60 or older)
- Caregiver for immune compromised person
- First responder who is critical to the epidemic response
- Healthcare worker
- Patient with serious chronic medical condition such as heart disease, diabetes, or lung disease
- Immune compromised patients
- Work or live in congregate setting
Specimen collection will be done Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays in Dougherty County; Tuesdays, Thursdays and this Saturday, April 18, in Thomas County; and Tuesdays and Thursdays in Miller County. Subsequent Saturday collections may take place in other counties. Public Health will not be charging for this service, said Dr. Charles Ruis, District Health Director for Southwest Public Health District 8-2.
The call center hotline is (229) 352-6567.
For information about COVID-19, visit https://dph.georgia.gov/novelcoronavirus or https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html.
