ATLANTA (AP) – Gov. Brian Kemp said Thursday that any Georgian who wants can now get tested for the coronavirus, regardless of whether they’re showing symptoms, even as mobile testing sites had to pause this week because of problems with information flow and reporting results back to those who had been tested.
The loosening of testing criteria comes as Georgia charts an aggressive course to reopening amid the virus outbreak, despite the fact that parts of the state are still battling infection hot spots.
Gainesville, a city about 50 miles (80 kilometers) northeast of Atlanta known for its poultry processing industry, has quickly become one of the state’s most affected areas and is a growing concern for officials.
Kemp said during a news conference Thursday that state health officials “are now encouraging all Georgians – even if they are not experiencing symptoms – to schedule an appointment with their health care provider, local health department, or get a screening through the (Augusta University) Health ExpressCare app.”
Georgia’s Department of Public Health has recorded over 31,500 confirmed cases of the virus and at least 1,340 deaths.