DeKalb rolling out new COVID-19 testing sites in hard-hit areas

050420 Decatur: Some of the more than two dozen specimen collection volunteers perform free COVID-19 tests at a pop-up site at the House of Hope on Monday, May 4, in Decatur. Pastors, local physicians, health ministers, and other community leaders united to encourage area residents to get tested with hundreds of motorists participating.    Curtis Compton ccompton@ajc.com

Credit: Curtis Compton

Credit: Curtis Compton

050420 Decatur: Some of the more than two dozen specimen collection volunteers perform free COVID-19 tests at a pop-up site at the House of Hope on Monday, May 4, in Decatur. Pastors, local physicians, health ministers, and other community leaders united to encourage area residents to get tested with hundreds of motorists participating. Curtis Compton ccompton@ajc.com

The DeKalb County Board of Health is launching new COVID-19 testing sites in areas that have been hard hit by the virus.

Starting Wednesday, testing will be available from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. every weekday at two new locations: Beulah Missionary Baptist Church (2340 Clifton Springs Road, Decatur) and Rehoboth Baptist Church (2997 Lawrenceville Highway, Tucker).

Both sites are in zip codes with some of DeKalb’s highest COVID-19 case numbers.

“We must be accessible to those who don’t have the resources to travel great distances for testing,” Dr. Elizabeth Ford, DeKalb’s district health director, said in a news release. “By going into zip codes with the greatest COVID-19 burden, we can identify cases and protect the community.”

Ford said the health department is also looking at areas that may not have high numbers of confirmed cases “because testing has not been made available.”

After the two new locations are launched, the health department plans to set up at least four additional testing sites.

Testing is free and open to anyone, but registration is required. That process can be completed by visiting dekalbhealth.net or by calling 404-294-3700 and selecting Option 1.

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