Health Officials Encourage Certain Residents to Get Tested for COVID-19

Ellijay, GA – COVID-19 cases took a sharp increase in Gilmer County this past week, and public health officials are concerned the main cause could be the attendance of large gatherings in the county. Anyone who recently attended events such as church revivals or other local large gatherings in the county is encouraged to get tested for COVID-19.

Free COVID-19 testing is provided by the Gilmer County Health Department on Mondays and Fridays at the ETC Pavilion in Ellijay. Residents are to call 1-888-881-1474 to register and make an appointment.

On June 11, the total number of positive cases in the county was 166, including one death. Since then, one additional death occurred, and positive cases increased weekly by five to ten until reaching a total of 190 on July 2.

Most concerning, however, was a sudden spike in numbers so that as of July 9, there were 216 positive cases of COVID-19 in Gilmer County, and today, public health is reporting an additional ten cases in the county.

“That is an increase of 36 cases in just over a week,” said Dr. Zachary Taylor, Health Director of North Georgia Health District 1-2 of the Georgia Department of Public Health, which includes Gilmer County. “Considering the protective measures and proactive precautions against coronavirus that have been readily available and promoted by the CDC and public health, transmission of this virus should be decreasing in our communities, certainly not increasing.”

Health officials strongly urge residents to prevent further spread of the virus by always wearing a mask in public, frequently washing hands or using a hand sanitizer, avoiding large crowds, social distancing away from others by at least six feet, avoiding physical contact when in public by not shaking hands or giving hugs, and staying home and calling a doctor if COVID-19 symptoms appear or if close contact occurred to someone who tested positive for the virus within the past 14 days.

Meanwhile, public health continues to track the virus through contact tracing, which means people who test positive for COVID-19 identify others they may have exposed to the virus so that public health contact tracers can determine if those contacts need to be quarantined and tested.

Additionally, the Gilmer County Health Department is collaborating with the Gilmer County Public Safety and Emergency Management Agency, Gilmer County Family Connections, Gilmer County Schools and several local churches, businesses, and other community partners to educate residents on how to take protective measures against COVID-19. They have utilized several methods and venues to share bilingual materials with the public and have even provided free face masks.

County nurse manager, Krystal Sumner, said, “Even residents who are asymptomatic can receive the free testing we offer. Knowing who is carrying the virus helps public health get ahead of transmission and prevent the virus from spreading further. By taking this step and the other recommended protective measures, we can stop the spread of COVID-19 together.”

Learn more about free COVID-19 testing in North Georgia and the latest updates on how to stop the spread at bit.ly/COVID19-Updates-NorthGA.   

The Whitfield County Health Department is once again offering FREE COVID-19 Testing this Saturday, July 11, 2020! Come get your free test at the Mack Gaston Community Center anytime between 8 am and 12 pm. No appointment is necessary. No identification is required. You will also learn more about stopping the spread of the virus and protecting yourself, your family and your community from COVID-19.

Mack Gaston Community Center is located at 218 North Frederick Street, Dalton GA 30721. For questions about COVID-19 testing, call 1-888-881-1474.

 For more information about COVID-19 on our website, log onto www.nghd.org.

¡PRUEBA GRATUITA DE COVID-19 OTRA VEZ en el CENTRO COMUNITARIO MACK GASTON ESTE SÁBADO!

¡El Departamento de Salud del Condado de Whitfield ofrece una vez más la prueba COVID-19 GRATUITA este sábado 11 de julio de 2020! Venga y obtenga su prueba gratuita en el Centro Comunitario Mack Gaston en cualquier momento entre las 8 am y las 12 pm. No se necesita cita. No se requiere identificación. También aprenderá más sobre cómo detener la propagación del virus y protegerse a sí mismo, a su familia y a su comunidad del COVID-19.

El Centro Comunitario Mack Gaston está ubicado en 218 North Frederick Street, Dalton GA 30721. Para preguntas sobre las pruebas COVID-19, llame al 1-888-881-1474.

Para obtener más información sobre COVID-19 en nuestro sitio web, inicie sesión en www.nghd.org.

CALL CENTER is Open on Friday, July 3rd from 8 AM to 11 AM to REGISTER for YOUR APPOINTMENT for FREE COVID-19 TESTING! CALL 1-888-881-1474.

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North, GA – The Fourth of July is a wonderful time for families and friends to gather for fun, festivities, and celebrations. But this year, COVID-19 is still transmitting in our communities, so it is best to stay close to the people you are with every day. But if you do celebrate with others, please keep in mind key public health precautions, with the most important one being that if you have possible symptoms of COVID-19 or have been around someone over the past 14 days who has recently tested positive for the virus, stay home, protecting yourself and others, and report it to your doctor or a healthcare provider.

Here is a link to the Georgia Department of Public Health website that includes the Georgia COVID-19 Hotline and a list of COVID-19 symptoms: https://dph.georgia.gov/.

This year for the Fourth, do not host or attend gatherings of large groups of people or share food or beverage items, and it is preferable that events are outdoors.

Additionally, be sure to take each of these protective measures:

• • Wear a cloth face covering or mask
  • Cover coughs and sneezes
  • Wash hands frequently with soap and water or use hand sanitizer
  • Maintain a social distance of at least 6 feet
  • Avoid physical contact with others by not giving hugs, handshakes, high fives or fist bumps
  • Keep surfaces and frequently used objects disinfected
  • Have an emergency kit handy that includes protective items such as face coverings, tissues, hand sanitizers with at least 60% alcohol, disinfectant wipes, etc.
  • Be mindful of people who are at high risk for becoming infected and have underlying medical conditions that could cause them to become more seriously ill with COVID-19

Also, be sure to get FREE COVID-19 Testing at one of our public health testing sites throughout North Georgia by calling 1-888-881-1474.

For more information about COVID-19 prevention and testing, log onto the North Georgia Health District website at bit.ly/COVID19-Updates-NorthGA.

Get a FREE COVID-19 test by local public health at the Mack Gaston Community Center this Saturday, June 27! Come to be tested anytime between 8 am and 12 pm. No appointment is necessary. No identification is required. Just come prepared to be tested and to learn more about how to protect yourself, your family and your community from COVID-19.

Mack Gaston Community Center is located at 218 North Frederick Street, Dalton GA 30721. For questions about the testing, call 1-888-881-1474.

For more information about COVID-19 on our website, log onto www.nghd.org.

¡Obtenga una prueba COVID-19 GRATUITA por parte de la salud pública local en el Centro Comunitario Mack Gaston este sábado 27 de junio! Ven a ser probado en cualquier momento entre las 8 am y 12 pm. No se necesita cita. No se requiere identificación. Solo venga preparado para hacerse la prueba y para aprender más sobre cómo protegerse, proteger a su familia y su comunidad de COVID-19.

El Centro Comunitario Mack Gaston está ubicado en 218 North Frederick Street, Dalton GA 30721. Para preguntas sobre las pruebas, llame al 1-888-881-1474.

Para obtener más información sobre COVID-19 en nuestro sitio web, inicie sesión en www.nghd.org.

North, GA – Health departments in Gilmer, Murray and Pickens counties will begin reopening to the public during the week of Monday, June 8. Of the six county health departments in the North Georgia Health District, these three were temporarily closed as part of the districtwide concerted emergency response to COVID-19 and testing.

Only the most essential public health services are available at this time, and while public health staff in Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens and Whitfield counties continue providing *free COVID-19 testing, health department days and/or hours of services will vary. Also, only the Cherokee County Health Department location in Canton is open to the public. Therefore, residents are required to call for an appointment prior to visiting their local health department.

*(Please refer HERE to the COVID-19 testing schedule as provided by public health in North Georgia. This schedule will change weekly. Call 1-888-881-1474 to register.)

Calling ahead for an appointment will also help protect the public and staff from the spread of COVID-19 through social distancing. Additional protective measures include screening visitors for COVID-19 symptoms as they arrive, and all staff and visitors must wear a face mask when entering the building. Also, clients with appointments must enter alone. Children arriving at the health departments for services must be accompanied by only one adult.  

Essential services at the county health departments include:

• • STD/HIV testing

• • All immunizations for children and adults, including, but not limited to, school required vaccinations, Tdap vaccinations for parents and grandparents of newborns, and Hepatitis A vaccinations

• • WIC vouchers – WIC services will continue to be available by phone at all county health departments in the North Georgia Health District. Call 706-370-4700.

Phone numbers for the county health departments are: Cherokee – (770) 345-7371; Fannin – (706) 632-3023; Gilmer – (706) 635-4343; Murray – (706) 695-4585; Pickens – (706) 253-2821; and, Whitfield – (706) 279-9600.

For information about opportunities for Free COVID-19 Testing by public health in North Georgia, go to bit.ly/FREE-COVID-19-Tests_NorthGA.

Two of our public health sites for FREE COVID-19 Testing will open at separate times during Memorial Day Weekend in Dalton and Woodstock! *One test site will operate from 9 AM to 12 PM on Saturday, May 23rd at the Whitfield County Health Department (800 Professional Blvd in Dalton), and the other test site will operate from 9 AM to 12 PM on Monday, May 25th at the Cherokee County Health Department’s Woodstock location (7545 Main Street in Woodstock). Residents are to REGISTER ahead for an appointment by calling 1-888-881-1474. For more information about COVID-19 testing in North Georgia, click HERE on our website.

*Times are subject to change, depending on weather and/or other issues; therefore, registration ahead of time at 1-888-881-1474 is required.

Whitfield County Health Department is again offering FREE COVID-19 Testing over the weekend this Saturday, May 16th from 9 AM to 12 PM and Sunday, May 17th at 1 PM for an hour. CALL to REGISTER at 1-888-881-1474! Our Call Center is open each day through Saturday. Whitfield County Health Department is located at 800 Professional Blvd., Dalton, GA 30720. Learn more about COVID-19 at COVID-19 Information for North Georgians.