Georgia Department of Public Health’s Coastal Health District Expands COVID-19 Testing

The Coastal Health District recently announced that anyone with symptoms of COVID-19 now can be tested and are not required to obtain a physician referral. You must still have a referral, but now your local county health department can make that referral for you. Some doctor’s offices, urgent care centers, and hospitals still can provide tests or refer patients for specimen collection. The self-initiated referral opportunity is just an additional option for individuals interested in being tested for the virus.

Symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, cough, and shortness of breath. People who work or live in high-risk settings can get tested even if they don’t have symptoms. High-risk workers include healthcare workers, emergency responders, critical infrastructure workers, and people living or working in group settings like long-term care facilities.

To inquire about obtaining a referral, call the Coastal Health District’s COVID-19 Call Center (912-230-9744). The Center is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

If you meet the criteria for testing, you’ll be given an appointment for one of the drive-through specimen collection sites. All screening must be done over the phone, and there is no cost for the test. Do not visit a health department clinic in person for testing.

To read more information from the Georgia Health District on COVID-19, click here.