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.

Georgia is currently in Phase 1A of COVID-19 vaccination distribution. Phase 1A includes healthcare personnel, residents of long-term care facilities, first responders (law enforcement, firefighters and EMS), and adults 65 and older. Vaccination will increase to include more groups of people as more vaccine is produced.

If you fall into Phase 1A and need an appointment, you can schedule online here. Due to high demand, we also recommend checking with your local healthcare provider for vaccine availability.

Eight Things to Know About the COVID-19 Vaccination

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends phases. Vaccination phases subject to updates.

We are currently in Phase 1: Limited COVID-19 Vaccine Availability

Phase 1A

Phase 1A will include paid and unpaid persons serving in a healthcare setting who have the potential for direct or indirect exposure to patients or infectious materials. Hospital staff, public health clinical staff, EMS, first responders, long term care facility staff, urgent care facility staff, and adults 65 and older are included in this phase.

Additional examples include:

• Staff in clinical settings (e.g., physicians, nurses, pharmacists, EMS, laboratory staff, environmental services, long-term care staff etc.)
• Law enforcement officers, firefights, and other first responders
• Long-term care residents

Phase 1B

Phase 1B will include other essential workers (non-healthcare)

Examples of people that will be included in this Phase are listed below:

• Police and fire personnel not covered under Phase 1A
• Critical workforce employees (e.g., pharmacy staff, educational faculty and staff, correctional facility staff, court employees, food processors, grocery store workers, transportation staff, nuclear power plant employees, air traffic controllers, etc.)

Phase 1C

Phase 1C will include people 16-64 at higher risk of severe COVID-19 illness, not vaccinated during Phase 1A or Phase 1B.

Can I Get Tested?

The Health Department has COVID-19 specimen collection (testing) sites currently open, locations vary. Testing appointments are open to everyone. Appointments are required and can be scheduled Monday through Saturday; referral from a doctor is not necessary. Click on the Make an Appointment button to schedule your appointment.

If you are unable to make an appointment at your preferred time, please contact your local medical provider, urgent care and/or pharmacy for other options. Learn more about other testing options available in our community.

Set up your LabCorp patient portal account and get your results

Visit www.labcorp.com, click Account Login, click Patient, then click Create an Account. After completing this step, you will be able to review your test results through this patient portal when they become available. If you are unable to get your results through the portal, please call 770-339-4260.

Antibody testing is not currently available at Gwinnett, Newton and Rockdale County Health Departments. The testing performed at the Health Department is a nasal swab that will determine if you are currently sick with COVID-19. Antibody testing may be available through private providers in the community; however, the Health Department does not maintain a list of the providers.

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.