Woodstock, GA – To facilitate increasing numbers of residents seeking COVID-19 testing in Cherokee County, MAKO Medical will move their drive-thru COVID-19 testing site at Action Church in Canton to JJ Biello Park in Woodstock. The new address is JJ Biello Park, Riverside Athletic Complex, 610 Druw Cameron Court, Woodstock, GA 30188. The final day for testing at Action Church is Thursday, December 30th. Testing will begin at JJ Biello Park on Monday, January 3, 2022. MAKO Medical will continue to provide free drive-thru COVID-19 PCR testing at the new site, and the hours will remain Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 3 PM. 

PCR testing is done by nasal swab to determine the presence of the virus that causes COVID-19.

Anyone who has COVID-19 type symptoms or has been in close contact recently with a person infected with the virus needs to be tested for COVID-19, even if they are fully vaccinated. There are no eligibility requirements other than having a Georgia address and registering online at https://mako.exchange/splash/GAmakotesting/.

 GaDPH Press Release: DPH Urges Georgians NOT to Go to Hospital Emergency Departments for COVID Testing

COVID-19 testing locations are available throughout Georgia and can be found on the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) website at https://dph.georgia.gov/covidtesting. We are working with our lab partners to expand testing hours and add testing sites, however, lines will continue to be long as thousands of Georgians want to get tested.

To help alleviate delays at testing sites, it is critical that people register BEFORE going to a DPH test site. Online registration (https://dph.georgia.gov/covidtesting) will help alleviate back-ups at test sites and free up staff to do more testing if they aren’t doing registration paperwork. 

COVID vaccination is available statewide and is our best tool for ending this pandemic and reducing the overwhelming strain on the healthcare system and healthcare providers. To find a COVID vaccination location, visit https://dph.georgia.gov/covid-vaccine. Georgians aged 5 and older are eligible for vaccination. Georgians 16 and older are eligible for boosters six months after completing their primary vaccine series of either Moderna or Pfizer (only Pfizer is authorized for booster doses in 16- and 17- year-olds) and two months after their J&J vaccine.

North Georgia – Positive COVID-19 test results have increased in North Georgia. The CDC has provided Omicron variant projections, but it will be a while before we have verification of the Omicron data for this area; and, as always, other related data will follow. 

Health officials urge residents to make the right choices to protect themselves and their loved ones against COVID-19 and all variants. Get vaccinated, along with a booster shot. Wear a mask in public indoor spaces and with people who don’t live with you. Get tested for COVID-19 if symptomatic and before traveling or attending a social gathering. 

Dr. Zachary Taylor, Interim Director of the North Georgia Health District, said, "We've been urging everyone who is eligible to get vaccinated as soon as possible, and we need those who are ready for their booster dose of the Pfizer, Moderna or Janssen vaccine to get that dose immediately, as well. The message is more important now than ever. People who get the booster are much less likely to become seriously ill or hospitalized.” 

The CDC confirms that COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective at preventing severe illness, hospitalizations, and death. 

Vaccination is still the key protection against COVID-19 and all variants of the virus. A timely booster dose maximizes protection against both infection and serious illness.

NEWS RELEASE

Omicron Spread and Prevention Measures for Holiday Gatherings

Atlanta – The Georgia Department of Public Health is urging Georgians to carefully follow COVID-19 prevention measures during holiday celebrations and gatherings to keep yourself and your loved ones safe.

COVID case numbers are increasing daily, and the Omicron variant is spreading faster than any previous variant.

Surveillance for COVID variants is done through genomic sequencing of PCR positive test results. In Georgia, the most recent genomic sequencing is from week ending Dec. 4, and at that time, the Delta variant was responsible for 98% of new COVID cases. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) uses genomic sequencing data to project current variant proportions and now estimates Omicron accounts for more than 73% of new COVID cases in the United States. Given the rapid transmissibility of the Omicron variant, the current proportion of Omicron in Georgia is likely similar to that of the national estimate, and presumably will account for all new COVID cases in the state in the coming weeks.

Please note this list of dates and times when our County Health Departments will briefly close for staff meetings. Thank you!