The Liberty County and Long County Health Departments are transitioning to an appointment-only process for COVID-19 testing, according to a press release from the Coastal Health District.
The release said appointments are needed to eliminate long lines and wait times at area testing sites. The testing criteria has not changed, and anyone can be tested for free with an appointment.
In Liberty County drive-through testing will be available by appointment every Friday morning in the parking lot of Connection Church at 116 Patriot Trail in Hinesville behind the Liberty County Health Department, beginning Friday, July 10th. To make an appointment, call 912-230-9744. The call center is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., and Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. – 12 noon.
In Long County drive-up testing will be available by appointment every Tuesday morning at the Long County Health Department at 584 North Macon Street in Ludowici, beginning Tuesday, July 7th. To make an appointment, call 912-230-9744. The call center is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., and Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. – 12 noon.
“Demand for COVID-19 testing has increased significantly in the Coastal Health District and around the state of Georgia,” said Dr. Lawton Davis, Health Director of the Coastal Health District. “A coordinated, appointment-only testing program will help our employees manage the flow and anticipate the number of people who will be coming for specimen collection.”
Several counties in the Coastal Health District are also transitioning back to an appointment-only model in the coming weeks. The district is adding 17 contract nurses and 42 temporary administrative support personnel at specimen collection sites and testing call centers across the region. “COVID-19 is an enormous public health crisis, but our communities still rely on us for public health services like immunizations, testing for sexually transmitted diseases, health screenings and more,” said Dr. Davis. “We need to increase our workforce so we can provide critical COVID-19 testing services without neglecting our other duties.”
For a list of free COVID-19 testing options through public health in other counties, visit our website at covid19.gachd.org.