District 2 of the Georgia Department of Public Health, which includes Dawson County, will be increasing COVID-19 testing as capacity expands statewide.

Testing guidelines will include:

• Health care workers, first responders and other critical infrastructure workers

• People living in long-term care facilities or other group residential settings

• People 65 and older

• Patients with underlying medical conditions

• Household members or caregivers of any of the groups above 

• People with close contact with a known COVID-19 case

3. The following people without symptoms will also be tested as capacity allows: 

• Health care workers, first responders and other critical infrastructure workers that have been exposed to COVID-19

• Residents of a long-term care facility or other group residential setting experiencing an outbreak of COVID-19 

To get tested, people should first call the local health department and ask to speak with a nurse about COVID-19 testing. The Dawson County Health Department can be reached at 706-265-2611. The nurse will review each individual's situation and submit their information for verification. The public health department will call people back to arrange an appointment for testing.

People who believe they are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 or have been exposed to the novel coronavirus can also call their primary care doctor, an urgent care clinic or the state's COVID-19 hotline at 844-442-2681.

Officials are urging individuals who believe they have COVID-19 or have been exposed to the novel coronavirus not to show up unannounced at emergency room or health care facilities.