NORTH GA – Dozens of North Georgians have been tested so far at the public health Pop-Up COVID-19 Testing sites in Fannin, Pickens and Murray counties, and now those county health departments will provide additional times for testing next week.

COVID-19 testing conducted by public health is FREE. The days, times and locations for the upcoming Pop-Up COVID-19 Testing sites are:

• • Fannin County: Tuesday, May 12th, 9 A.M. – 11 A.M., Blue Ridge United Methodist Church, 235 Orvin Lance Drive, Blue Ridge, GA 30513
  • Pickens County: Wednesday, May 13th, 9 A.M. – 11 A.M., Mt. Zion Baptist Church, 1036 North Main Street, Jasper, GA 30143
  • Murray County: Thursday, May 14th, 9 A.M. – 11 A.M., Murray County Parks and Recreation Department, 651 Hyden Tyler Road, Chatsworth, GA 30705

Anyone who wishes to be tested at the public health pop-up clinics must first register by calling 1-888-881-1474.

Our priority for testing remains, as...

• • Anyone who has COVID-19 symptoms, such as:
    
    • Fever
    • Felt feverish
    • Runny nose
    • Cough
    • Muscle aches
    • Chills
    • Sore throat
    • Nausea or vomiting
    • Abdominal pain
    • Loss of taste
    • Loss of smell
    • Headache
    • Shortness of breath
    • Diarrhea
    • Other 
      

• • Anyone who is one of the following, regardless of symptoms:Health care worker
    • First responder
    • Law enforcement officer
    • Resident or worker in a long-term care facility
    • Resident or worker in a congregate setting
    • Critical infrastructure employee, such as a grocery store worker

More information about COVID-19 and testing in Georgia can be found at bit.ly/COVID-Updates-NorthGA.

Dalton, GA – The Whitfield County Health Department will provide FREE COVID-19 testing in Dalton this Saturday and Sunday, May 9th and 10th. Testing is from 9 AM to 12 PM on Saturday and begins at 1 PM on Sunday.

Anyone who wishes to be tested must first register by calling 1-888-881-1474. Our priority for testing remains, as...

• Anyone who has COVID-19 symptoms, such as:
  

- Fever

- Felt feverish

- Runny nose
- Cough
- Muscle aches
- Chills
- Sore throat
- Nausea or vomiting
- Abdominal pain

- Loss of taste

- Loss of smell

- Headache

- Shortness of breath

- Diarrhea

- Other

• Anyone who does or does not have COVID-19 symptoms and is also one of the following:
  

- Health care worker

- First responder

- Law enforcement officer

- Resident or worker in a long-term care facility

- Resident or worker in a congregate setting

- Critical infrastructure worker, such as:

   > Grocery store or restaurant worker

   > Utility worker

   > Truck driver

   > Airline crew member

To register for Free COVID-19 testing by public health in North Georgia, you must first call this toll-free number to be given an appointment: 1-888-881-1474.

The Whitfield County Health Department is located at 800 Professional Boulevard, Dalton, GA 30720.

For more information about COVID-19 and free public health testing locally and statewide, click on the COVID-19 banner on our home page.

NORTH GA – County public health departments within the North Georgia Health District will conduct two separate pop-up COVID-19 testing sites, respectively, on  Wednesday and Thursday of next week.

The two pop-up COVID-19 testing sites, times and locations are:

• • Pickens County: Wednesday, May 6th, 9 A.M. – 11 A.M., Mt. Zion Baptist Church, 1036 North Main Street, Jasper, GA 30143

• • Murray County: Thursday, May 7th, 9 A.M. – 11 A.M., Murray County Parks and Recreation Department, 651 Hyden Tyler Road, Chatsworth, GA 30705 

COVID-19 testing is free, but people who meet the criteria for testing must register in advance by calling 1-888-881-1474.

People who are eligible for testing include:

  - Anyone who has COVID-19 symptoms, such as:

• • Fever
  • Felt feverish
  • Runny nose
    
  • Cough
    
  • Muscle aches
    
  • Chills
    
  • Sore throat
    
  • Nausea or vomiting
    
  • Abdominal pain
  • Loss of taste
  • Loss of smell
  • Headache
  • Shortness of breath
  • Diarrhea
  • Other

  - Anyone who does or does not have COVID-19 symptoms and is also one of the following:

• • Health care worker
  • First responder
  • Law enforcement officer
  • Resident or worker in a long-term care facility
  • Resident or worker in a congregate setting
  • Critical infrastructure worker, such as grocery store and utility workers, truck drivers, airline crew members, etc.

“We have assisted in the free testing of hundreds of residents at three public health drive-thru sites in Cherokee, Gilmer and Whitfield counties,” said Dr. Zachary Taylor, health district director. “But there are people who have barriers for getting COVID-19 testing, such as lack of transportation, so we want to remove those barriers and make it easier for as many people as possible to be tested.”

More information about COVID-19 and testing in Georgia can be found at bit.ly/COVID-Updates-NorthGA.

**Click here for changes to our COVID-19 Testing. Final Week for Testing by Public Health**

FREE COVID-19 Testing is Available in Cherokee and Whitfield Counties

Call Center is open weekdays, 8:15 AM - 4:30 PM

North Georgians, YOU may receive FREE COVID-19 TESTING provided by public health at a testing site in Cherokee and Whitfield County! *You MUST first register for testing and arrange for an appointment to go to a testing site in one of these counties by contacting our Call Center at 1-888-881-1474. (First Responders Do NOT have to register prior to arrival at testing sites in Georgia.)

Although anyone can be tested in Georgia, we especially encourage the priority groups to be tested: people who have symptoms of the Coronavirus Disease COVID-19 such as fever, dry cough or shortness of breath (see more), and for people who are with or without symptoms and are either a healthcare worker, first responder, law enforcement officer or a person who lives or works in a long-term care facility or congregate setting OR are a critical infrastructure worker, such as a grocery store employee, trucker or utility worker.

Register today for FREE COVID-19 Testing by public health in North Georgia by calling  1-888-881-1474. The Call Center is generally open weekdays, 8:15 AM - 4:30 PM (check calendar above for any possible exceptions). *NO Appointment is Needed for 1st Responders. Call volumes can be abnormally high at times, but please continue dialing until you get through.

For more information about COVID-19 and FREE public health Testing in North Georgia, log onto www.nghd.org.  

 Contact information for local health departments providing COVID-19 testing throughout Georgia can be found HERE.

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 contacting their local health department. They will be screened by appropriate health department staff and referred to the closest, most convenient specimen collection site.

Contact information for local health departments can be found below and on the DPH homepage at https://dph.georgia.gov/, 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.

Together we can stop further spread of COVID-19 in our state and save lives.

Stay home – the Governor has issued a shelter-in-place Executive Order that should be observed by all residents and visitors.

Practice social distancing – keep at least 6 feet between yourself and other people.

Wash your hands – use soap and water and scrub for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer (60% alcohol) if soap and water aren’t readily available.

Wear a mask – the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend the use of face masks to help slow the spread of COVID-19, especially where socials distancing is difficult to maintain (grocery stores, pharmacies, etc.), and especially in areas of significant community-based transmission.

For more information about COVID-19 https://dph.georgia.gov/novelcoronavirus or https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html.

For updates on the COVID-19 situation as it develops, follow @GaDPH, @GeorgiaEMA, and @GovKemp on Twitter and @GaDPH, @GEMA.OHS, and @GovKemp on Facebook.

North Georgians, YOU may receive FREE COVID-19 TESTING provided by public health. But, to register for FREE COVID-19 testing and receive an appointment at a testing site nearest you in North Georgia, you must first call 1-888-881-1474.

Our testing priority is for people who have symptoms of the Coronavirus Disease COVID-19 such as fever, dry cough or shortness of breath (see more), and for people who are with or without symptoms and are either a healthcare worker, first responder, law enforcement officer or a person who lives or works in a long-term care facility or congregate setting, OR are a critical infrastructure worker, such as a grocery store employee, trucker or utility worker.

Register for FREE COVID-19 Testing by public health in North Georgia at 1-888-881-1474 today!

To find COVID-19 Information for North Georgians, click HERE.

DALTON, Ga – UPDATE: Due to the public health state of emergency surrounding COVID-19 and the need to enhance a more concerted response, including COVID-19 testing, suspension of nursing services at public health departments in the North Georgia Health District now includes Gilmer, Murray and Pickens counties until further notice. Public health clients who need essential services, may call the county health department in Blue Ridge (706-632-3023), Canton (770-345-7371) or Dalton (706-279-9600) for an appointment.

Essential services currently offered at these health departments include:

• STD/HIV testing
• Newborn immunizations
• Tdap vaccinations for parents and grandparents of newborns
• 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, including the three counties where nursing services are suspended. Call (706) 370-4700.

We apologize for this inconvenience; however, it is a necessary measure at this time. 

Learn more about our FREE COVID-19 testing in Cherokee, Gilmer and Whitfield counties, along with who is being tested and how to call HERE. Get information about COVID-19 testing statewide HERE. 

For the latest COVID-19 recommendations from the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), log onto our COVID-19 Information for North Georgians page HERE.

DALTON, Ga. – The North Georgia Health District has received notice that residents in Cherokee and Pickens counties, who had previously been listed in the Georgia Department of Public Health COVID-19 Daily Status Report as confirmed cases, have now sadly passed away.

The Cherokee County resident was a female in her 60s, and the Pickens County resident was a female in her 70s. Both were hospitalized at time of death with underlying health conditions.

These are the first deaths in the North Georgia Health District of residents who had been confirmed as being infected with COVID-19. The Health District is comprised of Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens and Whitfield counties.

At the time of this announcement, county-by-county numbers of confirmed cases so far in the Health District included:

• Cherokee County: 46 (including the death)
• Fannin: 2
• Pickens: 4 (including the death)
• Whitfield: 6

The Health District works closely with Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) epidemiology to identify close contacts of all confirmed cases and provide the appropriate recommendations.

How the public can help:

• Do not go to the emergency room unless essential. Emergency rooms need to be able to serve those with the most critical needs. 
• North Georgia Health District is coordinating with healthcare providers to determine if testing requests meet criteria for testing.
• If you have symptoms like cough, fever, or other respiratory problems, call your doctor first.
• Stay home when sick.
• Practice thorough personal hygiene habits, including handwashing, coughing into tissue or elbow, avoid touching eyes, nose, or mouth.
• Avoid large gatherings of more than 10 people and maintain social distancing by keeping at least 6 feet away from others
• Stay informed. Information is changing frequently. Check the Health District’s website (http://bit.ly/COVID19-Updates-NorthGA) or follow us on social media. 

As we anticipate more cases, the North Georgia Health District will not issue press releases for each individual case. Updates will be posted on the Georgia Department of Public Health COVID-19 Daily Status Report at https://dph.georgia.gov/covid-19-daily-status-report at 12 PM and 7 PM and will be shared on the Health District’s social media pages on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

North GA – In order to protect our clients, health department staff, residents and communities and to better shift our focus on our coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic response, the North Georgia Health District is limiting services to only the most crucial public health services.

At all public health departments in *Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens and Whitfield counties, these are the services that are currently offered until further notice:

• • Birth Control
  • STD/HIV testing
  • Immunizations for children 5 years of age and under
  • Tdap vaccinations
  • Hepatitis A vaccinations
  • Medicaid enrollment for women’s health and pregnancy
  • WIC vouchers

*The Woodstock health department clinic will only provide Vital Records services at this time.

Protective measures in place at our county health departments, include:

• • Residents are urged to make an appointment for services.
  • Visitors will be screened at health department entrances for symptoms of COVID-19, including fever or cough, or if they have tested positive for the virus.
  • To help limit the number of people entering the health department and maintain social distancing, adult clients are asked to enter the health department alone, instructing any other adults or older teens who may be accompanying them to remain outside or in their vehicle.
  • Children who are clients are to be accompanied by one adult.

These measures are in place for the safety of our clients, health department staff, residents and communities.

Local county health departments in North Georgia may be reached at the following numbers:

• • Cherokee: Canton (770) 345-7371 Woodstock: (770) 928-0133
  • Fannin (706) 632-3023
  • Gilmer (706) 635-4363
  • Murray (706) 695-4585
  • Pickens (706) 253-2821
  • Whitfield (706) 279-9600 

We regret this inconvenience to the public, but it is part of the North Georgia Health District effort to protect our communities as we respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.

For easy access to the latest COVID-19 updates and recommendations from both the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), click on our COVID-19 Information for North Georgians page.

Our District's Latest COVID-19 Updates 

The Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) follows the guidance and recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices (ACIP) for all COVID-19 vaccine, at all stages of dosage, including the Updated Bivalent COVID-19 Boosters. Access the latest recommendations for all approved doses of COVID-19 vaccine and eligibilities HERE and note that all COVID-19 vaccine doses are available with no appointment needed at each county health department in the North Georgia Health District, which includes Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens, and Whitfield counties.

The Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) continues to closely monitor an outbreak of respiratory illness caused by coronavirus (COVID-19) first identified in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China in December 2019, as well as its variants, and is regularly coordinating with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for information on the virus and the latest variants. Cases have been identified globally, in the United States, and in Georgia.

This continues to be an evolving situation and information is subject to change, so this page is where you can conveniently link to all updated information from both Georgia DPH and the CDC.

There have been over 2.3 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Georgia and over 40 thousand related deaths. However, over 6 million Georgians are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, including approximately 250,000 residents in the North Georgia Health District. Click here to go to the Georgia DPH COVID-19 Status Report. 

Dr. Pablo Perez, internist in Dalton GA, receives a COVID-19 vaccination from Robin Coffey, registered nurse for the Whitfield County Health Department, on Dec.18, 2020, as the initial roll-out of COVID-19 vaccine begins in North Georgia and statewide to healthcare workers and first responders. 

CHEROKEE - FANNIN - GILMER 

MURRAY - PICKENS - WHITFIELD 

                      NORTH GEORGIA HEALTH DISTRICT Data

Updated COVID-19 Information from Georgia DPH

Updated COVID-19 Vaccine Status in Georgia Report 

Click on the icon for the latest vaccine updates and access the Georgia DPH Dashboard for all the latest COVID-19 vaccine data in Georgia.

COVID-19 Testing 

Click on the icon to Learn the Latest about COVID-19 Testing Recommendations from the CDC.

Updated COVID-19 Guidance from Georgia DPH

Click on the icon to access all the latest Georgia DPH COVID-19 Guidance regarding symptoms, vaccines, testing, how to report COVID-19 test results, what to do if you are sick, and what you need to know about treatments. ,

Respiratory Virus Guidance Snapshot

 COVID-19 is a respiratory virus. Below, in English and Spanish, is a Respiratory Virus Guidance Snapshot that can help you prevent the infection and spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses. Enlarge and download the guidance snapshot in English and Spanish to print or share. Just click the infographics below.

State and Federal Response Websites:

CDC

Georgia Department of Public Health