- Written by Jennifer King
- Category: Media Releases
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.
- Hits: 10629
- Written by Jennifer King
- Category: Media Releases
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:
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- Pickens County: Wednesday, May 6th, 9 A.M. – 11 A.M., Mt. Zion Baptist Church, 1036 North Main Street, Jasper, GA 30143
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- 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.
- Hits: 7306
- Written by Jennifer King
- Category: Media Releases
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.
- Hits: 10652
- Written by Jennifer King
- Category: Media Releases
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.
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