What is COVID-19 and How is it Spread?

COVID-19, also known as coronavirus disease 2019, is a new virus that causes fever, cough, and shortness of breath. While 80-85% of individuals infected with COVID-19 appear to have mild illness, the virus can cause severe illness including pneumonia in high risk populations like older adults and people who have chronic medical conditions. COVID-19 has affected a large number of people across multiple continents and is being transmitted simultaneously worldwide. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic on March 11, 2020.

There are many different types of coronaviruses that are known to cause human illness. This virus is able to be passed person-to-person through respiratory droplets when an ill individual coughs, sneezes, or talks. Research also suggests that the virus is spread from person to person before an individual has symptoms. The virus can survive for a limited time on commonly touched surfaces.

COVID-19 vaccines are expected to be available for the public in 2021.

COVID-19 is spread through respiratory droplets. The virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person.

• Between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet).
• Through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs, sneezes or talks.
• These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into lungs
• Some recent studies have suggested that COVID-19 may be spread by people who are not showing symptoms

What Are Symptoms of COVID-19?

Can I Get a COVID-19 Vaccination?

Questions about COVID vaccines not answered here? Call the GA COVID-19 Vaccine Hotline —
(888) 357-0169.

Everyone 5 and over is eligible for COVID-19 vaccination.

Note: Pfizer is the only COVID vaccine currently approved for children aged 5 through 17.

Vaccines for 5-11 year olds
Our Health Department is administering COVID-19 vaccines for ages 5-11 at health center locations only. We will not administer vaccines for this age group at any mobile site or mass vaccination site.

A third dose of mRNA COVID-19 vaccine is available for moderately or severely immunocompromised individuals.

Booster shots are recommended for certain individuals who received Pfizer, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine

Read more about the third dose for immunocompromised and booster shots here.

Updated October 25, 2021

If you are eligible and need an appointment, you can schedule online here. Due to demand, we also recommend checking with your local healthcare provider for vaccine availability.

Eight Things to Know About the COVID-19 Vaccination

Vaccine Myths Busted!

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends who can be vaccinated. Vaccination phases are subject to updates.

GNR will update which individuals we are currently vaccinating on our website.  Additional statewide information can be found at https://dph.georgia.gov/covid-vaccine.

Can I Get Tested?

Click here to pre-register with our partner, Mako Labs.

Mako Test Result Notification

Once tested, you will be notified of your results within 2-3 days (if you have registered for the patient portal). To register for the patient portal, text “MAKO” to 66349. You can also sign up to register for results at https://mako.luminatehealth.com/

MAKO will bill Insurance and Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) program

During registration please input your insurance identification and policy number or choose uninsured. If you are uninsured and have a social security number, please input the social security number. If you do not have a social security number, please attest that you do not have a social security number by selecting the attestation box.

The Georgia Department of Public Health has a testing site locator available on their website with different options available: https://dph.georgia.gov/castlight-location-finder

While waits may be long, we recommend individuals seek tests from one of these organizations over emergency departments (unless experiencing a medical emergency) to free up space for those with emergency issues.

For those waiting to get tested or awaiting test results: We recommend that anyone experiencing symptoms follow isolation guidance to avoid potentially spreading illness. If individuals test positive with a (nonclinical) home rapid test, they should follow isolation guidance and follow up with a medical provider. Individuals who test positive but do not have symptoms should also follow isolation guidance.

What is Contact Tracing?

What is contact tracing?
Contact tracing is a tool used by Public Health to quickly identify people who have been exposed to an infectious disease (COVID-19, measles, Ebola, TB, STDs) and alert their contacts of their exposure.

Why is contact tracing done?
The goal of contact tracing is to help prevent the further spread of infection, to identify hotspots of infection, and to protect friends, families and communities from potential infection.

Is contact tracing confidential?
Contact tracing is confidential — the identity of the person who tests positive + information about others who may have been exposed is kept confidential per HIPAA (HIPAA is the law that protects an individual’s personal health information.) Georgia’s contact tracing does not use GPS or Bluetooth technology to track movements.

How is contact tracing done?
Trained public health staff work with people diagnosed with COVID-19 to help them recall everyone who they have had close contact with while they were infectious. Public health staff then alert these exposed individuals (contacts) as quickly as possible to prevent additional spread of the disease.

How will contacts be notified?
A trained DPH staff member will notify the contact by phone that they may have been exposed to COVID-19, and instruct them to self-quarantine to prevent the spread of the disease.