DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — Over the last few weeks, the demand for COVID testing has skyrocketed, coinciding with a surge in cases, hospitalizations and percent positivity rate statewide.
Each county in metro Atlanta is taking a different approach in responding to the increased demand for COVID testing.
DEKALB COUNTY
DeKalb County has extended the hours at two of its largest COVID testing sites: North DeKalb Health Center (open M-F 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.) and Greater Piney Grove Baptist Church (open M-F 8:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.)
At-home COVID tests have also seen a huge surge in demand. DeKalb recently handed out 5,000 home testing kits across three sites. The county plans to purchase more tests with funds from the American Rescue Plan and distribute them, but it would not give 11Alive specific details.
FULTON COUNTY
Fulton County plans to purchase nearly 100,000 at-home COVID tests for around $1.5 million. Dr. David Holland, chief clinical officer with the Fulton County Board of Public Health, said federal health equity grant and COVID relief funds will pay for the tests. The distribution will be through community-based partners with a focus on handing out tests to those with the least access.
"There are still a lot of disparities in COVID," Holland said. "Our community partners are able to help us better contact people who are most at risk for COVID and help them get tested. We're talking health centers, the libraries and some of our partners will help distribute the kits.”
This comes as Fulton County is experiencing record highs in its 7-day average of COVID cases, hospitalizations and percent positivity rate. The county currently has three PCR testing sites funded by the Georgia Department of Public Health. There are current plans to set up a mega-site for testing in conjunction with DPH somewhere near Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
COBB COUNTY
Cobb County placed an emergency order for 60,000 at-home test kits, using more than $800,000 in federal grant funds. Officials said the cost should not impact the county's budget, and plans call for the at-home tests to be distributed on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
"The Board of Commissioners will consider the use of remaining CARES funding for the County Manager’s emergency purchase," a Cobb County spokesperson said in a statement. "That will happen during Tuesday’s meeting which will be via teleconference due to the spike in COVID cases."
GWINNETT COUNTY
Gwinnett County has been buying at-home tests since they were made available. However, the county has only given them to government staff and long-term care facilities. A spokesperson with the regional health department, of which Gwinnett County is a part, said they would most likely rely on receiving part of the federal government's promised 500 million at-home COVID test distribution nationwide.
CLAYTON COUNTY
Clayton County is still drafting plans on buying at-home tests and plans to hold a distribution event sometime next week.
Colin Smith, a 25-year public health policy expert and Georgia State University professor, said the pandemic has caused a reactionary response that he hopes can solve a growing need.
"I'm not going to say we're behind the curve on this, but we just need to adapt to the situation and in many situations, we'll have to deal with this day-by-day and make the best of it," Smith said. “We need some better coordination between our public and private providers. Help build some of that infrastructure to be able to make sure there is coordination and effective use of what’s available in the field so that folks know where to go.”