District 2 Public Health is no longer operating a COVID-19 test site in Hall County. The Sherwood Plaza site closed on June 1.
After a strong push by public health for free testing in late 2020 and 2021, the District is now only operating two PCR test sites – one in Union County and the other in Forsyth County.
The Forsyth County test site is located at the Central Park Recreation Complex at 2300 Keith Bridge Road in Cumming. The Union County COVID test site is located at Union General Hospital at 35 Hospital Road in Blairsville.
Hospitals and other medical facilities are still offering the tests but may charge a fee.
Despite the District’s decision to close all but two of its test sites, District spokesperson Natalie Young says, “COVID-19 testing remains important in the fight against community spread.”
Free COVID-19 at-home test kits are available through a partnership with the federal government and the United States Postal Service.
Each household in the United States is eligible to receive up to eight rapid antigen COVID-19 tests. The Postal Service will ship the tests in two separate packages, each with its own tracking number. The tests and shipping are free.
To order free at-home COVID-19 test kits, visit covid.gov/tests or call 1-800-232-0233. Phone assistance is available in both English and Spanish. Those who are hearing impaired should call TTY 1-888-720-7489.
Public health officials advise, if you have any COVID-19 symptoms you should “test immediately.” If you’re around someone who has COVID, you should test at least five days after your exposure. (If you test negative for COVID-19, consider testing again in one or two days.)
Also, public if you plan to attend an indoor event or gathering, test immediately before the gathering, or as close to the time of the event as possible.
Since the COVID-19 outbreak began in Georgia in March 2020, the state department of public health has confirmed nearly 2 million cases of the virus. Over 31,000 people in Georgia have died from the virus or complications related to it.
