Cobb and Douglas Public Health is allowing more people to get tested for Coronavirus at its drive-up location at Jim Miller Park, but it remains closed to the general public.
Previously, those able to get a test there were those who showed symptoms for the virus and had a medical referral or were health care workers or first responders.
Expanded criteria include the following people, per a release issued late Monday:
- Hospitalized patients
- The following people with symptoms:
- Healthcare workers, first responders, and other critical infrastructure workers
- Persons residing in long-term care facilities or other group residential settings
- Persons 65 years of age and older
- Patients with underlying medical conditions
- Household members or caregivers of any of the groups above
- Persons with close contact with a known COVID-19 case
- The following people without symptoms will also be tested as capacity allows:
- Healthcare workers, first responders, and other critical infrastructure workers that have been exposed to COVID-19
- Residents of a long-term care facility or group residential setting experiencing an outbreak of COVID-19
Cobb and Douglas Public Health says the testing is free and the results are faster, but didn’t elaborate.
The agency is asking those who think they may qualify for the test to call their health care provider or the Cobb & Douglas Public Health Call Center at 770-514-2300.
From there, a decision will be made if a test is needed, and if so, testing will be scheduled by appointment only.
As of noon Tuesday, Cobb has 874 confirmed cases of Coronavirus, or COVID-19, and 39 deaths.
The latter is the third-highest figure in Georgia, which has 501 deaths and 14,223 confirmed cases.
The Georgia Department of Public Health also updates the numbers at 7 p.m. at this link.
DPH is gradually adding more data to its reports, including race and ethnicity, and as seen in the map below, rates of confirmed cases per 100,000.
While Cobb is among the highest in Georgia in overall numbers, it’s in the lower tier of counties in the latter category.
Southwest Georgia remains the biggest part of the state for the outbreak, with a state-high 78 deaths in Dougherty County (Albany), and in 15 in nearby Lee County. There also have been 15 deaths in Mitchell County, and 11 each in Terrell County and Sumter County (Americus).
In metro Atlanta, Fulton County has 57 deaths, there are 26 in Gwinnett County, 15 in DeKalb County, and 12 in Clayton County. Bartow County has 17 deaths, while Clarke County has 12.
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