State to launch mobile COVID-19 testing initiative

ATLANTA — Gov. Brian Kemp announced Sunday the launch of a mobile COVID-19 testing initiative to set up drive-thru sites in communities without access to testing. Beginning Monday, the mobile unit will travel between Augusta (Hephzibah), Milledgeville and Tifton on a rotating basis. The site is supported by Walmart, eTrueNorth, and state and local officials.

“Serving Augusta, Milledgeville, Tifton and the surrounding regions, this mobile unit will be a game-changing step in our efforts to ensure access to COVID-19 across Georgia,” Kemp said in a news release. “Increased testing is critical as we continue the measured process of safely re-opening parts of our state, and I am grateful to our many partners with Walmart, eTrueNorth, and in these communities which provided support to get this operation online.”

“Walmart is committed to supporting the state of Georgia’s efforts to expand COVID-19 testing, especially in communities that have had limited access to testing,” Glen Wilkins, Walmart’s public affairs director for Georgia, said. “We are grateful to our pharmacists and associates who are supporting these testing sites, and to eTrueNorth and local officials as we work together to open sites that will help Georgians access timely testing.”

The unit will test Georgians who are exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19. In addition, all health care providers and first responders can be tested whether they are exhibiting symptoms or not. An appointment for testing can be made at www.DoINeedaCOVID19test.com, but on-site scheduling also will be available.

The schedule for the mobile COVID-19 testing unit is:

Augusta

Monday and Tuesday; 10 a.m.-3 p.m., weather permitting

Diamond Lakes Regional Park, 4335 Windsor Spring Road, Hephzibah

Milledgeville

Wednesday and Saturday; 10 a.m.-3 p.m., weather permitting

Located directly across Lawrence Road from 240 Lawrence Road, Milledgeville

Tifton

Thursday and Friday; 10 a.m.-3 p.m. weather permitting

Tift County National Guard Armory, 3111 U.S. Highway 41 S., Tifton

Additional testing information:

♦ The drive-thru site will test anyone who may be exhibiting symptoms of the virus. In addition, the site is available to all health care workers and first responders, whether or not they are exhibiting symptoms.

♦ Appointments must be made through eTrueNorth’s online portal at www.DoINeedaCOVID19test.com, which will screen individuals to ensure they meet CDC eligibility for testing. On-site scheduling will be available for those who are not able to schedule online. For questions regarding testing, call (800) 635-8611.

♦ Those being tested will need to stay in their cars for verification of eligibility criteria, ID check, and self-administered test. For the safety of all those on-site, the test site is not available to walk-ups; those being tested must be in a car.

♦ The site will use a self-administered nasal swab test that will allow those being tested to swab their own nose on-site while in their vehicles, observed by a trained medical professional to ensure the sample is taken correctly, and then drop the sealed sample into a container on their way out of the drive-thru site.

eTrueNorth, a contractor of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, will handle processing test samples and communicating results to those tested and applicable departments of health.♦

♦ The site will be staffed by volunteers, including Walmart health care professionals and eTrueNorth team members.

♦ While individuals who are tested are awaiting results, they should follow CDC guidelines and take steps to help prevent the virus from spreading to people in their home and community.