The Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) is increasing the number of specimen collection sites statewide for COVID-19 testing, and is revising the current testing criteria to accommodate more testing of Georgia residents.
Effective immediately, all symptomatic individuals will be eligible for COVID-19 testing. Health care workers, first responders, law enforcement and long-term care facility residents and staff will still be prioritized for testing regardless of whether they are or are not symptomatic.
Referrals are still required, however, there are now two ways to be referred to a DPH specimen collection site:
Local Health Department
Individuals who meet COVID-19 testing criteria may now be referred to DPH specimen collection sites by your health department. Residents in any of the eight Coastal Health District counties can call 1-912-230-9744 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. to get screened by appropriate health department staff and referred to the closest, most convenient specimen collection site.
Contact information for screening in other counties is available on the state DPH website. Go to https://dph.georgia.gov/ and look on the home page under “COVID-19 in Georgia.”
Health Care Provider Referral
Health care providers and/or physicians can and should continue to refer patients for COVID-19 testing.
People should not arrive unannounced or without a scheduled appointment at a specimen collection site, hospital, emergency room or other health care facility. Only individuals who have been evaluated by public health or a health care provider and assigned a PUI # number will be referred to these drive-thru sites.
Please note: All screening must be done over the phone – do not visit a health department clinic in person for screening.
