The Georgia Department of Public Health Northwest Health District reported during the weekend that it plans to offer a new COVID-19 testing program as of Tuesday, September 1st. This new program will feature more testing times and more easily located test sites throughout the region.
Dr. Gary Voccio, health director, indicates, “Our goal is to increase testing in Northwest Georgia by making it more convenient for the public while better balancing demand for testing with our resources.”
Any person who wants to be tested may be tested. Testing is especially urged by Voccio for anyone experiencing symptoms of the virus and close contacts of positive cases on their 10th day of quarantine.
Under the new program, public health will offer COVID-19 testing six days a week across the health district. One test site will be open daily, Monday thru Saturday, in each of four multi-county regions.
The Floyd and Chattooga County region will feature testing sites at the Coosa Valley Fairgrounds, 1400 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in Rome, and the North Summerville Baptist Church at 119 Maplewood Drive in Summerville. The site in Floyd County will be open every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, as well as the first and third Saturdays of each month. Chattooga County’s site will be open every Tuesday, in addition to the second and fourth Saturdays monthly. Hours at both sites are 8:30 am until 4:30 pm. Testing is offered on a drive-up basis; no appointment is needed.
Over Labor Day weekend, testing will be offered locally at the Coosa Valley Fairgrounds on Saturday, September 5th from 8:30 am until 4:30 pm.
Test sites at the West Rome Baptist Church in Rome and the Clarence Brown Conference Center in Cartersville will be closed effective September 1st. Also as of that date, the testing will no longer be offered at the Catoosa, Chattooga, Gordon, Haralson, Paulding, Polk, or Walker County health departments.
For complete details about COVID-19 testing regionwide, visit the Northwest Health District’s website at www.nwgapublichealth.org.