As Habersham Medical Center navigates a wave of unwanted social media attention over a recent personnel issue, the hospital is also trying to navigate through the current surge of COVID-19 cases.
“Today at this very moment, we are nearing capacity on our Medical-Surgical floor and our ICU is full,” says Kesha Clinkscale, HMC’s Vice-President of Culture and Wellness who serves as the hospital’s spokesperson.
Habersham County’s 2-week positivity rate is now 36.1% – that’s the highest it’s been since the pandemic began in March of 2020. White County’s is even higher at 39.4% and Banks County’s is 44.2%.
The current surge is bad, not just across the region, but the entire state. The Georgia Department of Public Health’s once lightly colored heat map displaying positivity rates in each of Georgia’s 159 counties, is now drenched in red depicting a significant spike in confirmed cases.
The state’s two-week positivity rate has jumped from 4.5% to nearly 37% in just the last month. Deaths, too, are rising with 655 more reported statewide since mid-December.
COVID and complications rising from it have killed at least 26,612 Georgians, according to the Georgia Department of Public Health. The agency lists an additional 5,123 deaths as “probable” COVID deaths.
Free drive-thru testing
In an attempt to try and isolate the spread of the virus – which has been fueled by recent holiday gatherings and the return to work and school – the Georgia Department of Public Health is ramping up its testing efforts. It’s opened 15 drive-thru testing sites in Northeast Georgia. Habersham Medical Center and Stephens County Hospital are among them:
Athens-Clarke County
West Athens
Holland Park
250 Vincent Dr, Athens, GA 30607
Monday: 8:30 am to 4:30 pm
Tuesday through Friday: 8:30 am to 6:30 pm
Saturday: 8 am to 12 Noon
Central Athens
535 Hillcrest Ave (off King Ave.), Athens GA 30606
Monday & Wednesday
10am – 4pm
Barrow County
Winder Cultural Arts Center
105 E. Athens St. Winder, GA 30680
Monday, Wednesday, Friday
8:30am – 4:30pm
Elbert County
Elberton Civic Center
148 College Ave, Elberton, GA 30635
Tuesday and Thursday
10am – 4pm
Forsyth County
Central Park
2300 Keith Bridge Road Cumming, GA 30040
Monday – Friday
8:30AM -4:30PM
Franklin County
Franklin County Health Department
6955 HWY 145 South Carnesville, GA 30521
Monday, Wednesday and Thursday
8:30AM – 4:30PM
Habersham County
Habersham Medical Center
541 Historic Hwy 441 North Demorest, GA 30535
Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday
9:00AM – 3:00PM
Hall County
Sherwood Plaza
601 South Enota Drive Gainesville, GA 30501
Monday – Friday
8:30AM – 4:30PM
Northeast Georgia Medical Center – Braselton
1515 River Place Braselton, GA 30517
Monday – Friday
9:00AM – 4:00PM
Lumpkin County
Lumpkin County Health Department
60 Mechanicsville Road Dahlonega, GA 30533
Monday, Wednesday and Thursday
8:30AM – 4:30PM
Morgan County
Morgan Medical Center
1740 Lions Club Road, Madison, GA 30650
Monday-Friday: 10am-5pm
Saturday: 9am-2pm
Rabun County
Community Market
201 West Savannah Street Clayton, GA 30525
Tuesday and Friday
8:30AM – 4:30PM
Union County
Union General Hospital
35 Hospital Road, Blairsville, GA 30512
Monday – Friday
8:30AM – 4:30PM
Stephens County
Stephens County Hospital
163 Hospital Road, Toccoa, GA 30577
Monday, Wednesday, and Friday (starting Jan. 14)
9:00AM – 3:00PM
Walton County
Piedmont Walton Medical Office Building
2151 W. Spring St., Monroe, GA 30655
Friday (only)
10am – 4pm
Helpful info.
District 2 Public Health covers the counties of Banks, Dawson, Forsyth, Franklin, Habersham, Hall, Hart, Lumpkin, Rabun, Stephens, Towns, Union, and White.
Northeast Health District covers the counties of Barrow, Clarke, Elbert, Greene, Jackson, Madison, Morgan, Oconee, Oglethorpe, and Walton.
The tests are free. Insurance may be requested but it is not required, according to the Northeast Health District.
These sites do not use rapid tests – results will be available in 48 hours. Those needing rapid tests should go to Walgreens or CVS, advises Natasha Young with District 2 Public Health.
Also, while appointments are not required, registration is recommended to decrease wait times.
To register for a free COVID test in Northeast Georgia, visit District 2 Public Health or Northeast Health District online.
For more information about COVID-19 in the state of Georgia, visit dph.georgia.gov.
