Jumplinks to COVID-19 Information:
COVID-19 Data|Symptoms and Testing|COVID-19 Vaccine |COVID-19 News
District 4 Public Health is fully complying to the recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. With updates and reports coming in daily, we implore District 4 residents to use the CDC’s resources to stay aware of the most current information.
The CDC provides education and guidance on how to protect yourself and what to do if you are sick. It also answers common questions for those wondering if you should get tested, are unsure of how to care for someone with symptoms, or in need of advice on adjusting your everyday life. All of these things and more can be found here:
- Latest information from the CDC on COVID-19
- For localized information, the Georgia Department of Public Health makes updates daily. Click here to see a status report of the state and cases by county.
Latest COVID-19 Data
How Has COVID-19 Affected the District
- COVID-19 Data By County
- COVID-19 Hospitalization
- Long Term Care Facilities Daily COVID-19 Report
- COVID-19 Vaccine Dashboard
- Schools COVID-19 report
Daily report from DPH
The Georgia Department of Health publishes new and comprehensive COVID data every day at 3:00 on their website.
View the most recent COVID data
COVID Symptoms and Testing
Watch for symptoms
People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported – ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. People with these symptoms may have COVID-19:
• Fever or chills
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Fatigue
• Muscle or body aches
• Headache
• New loss of taste or smell
• Sore throat
• Congestion or runny nose
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea
Look for emergency warning signs for COVID-19. If someone is showing any of these signs, seek emergency medical care immediately:
• Trouble breathing
• Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
• New confusion
• Inability to wake or stay awake
• Pale, gray, or blue-colored skin, lips, or nail beds, depending on skin tone
Call your medical provider for any other symptoms that are severe or concerning to you.
The above lists do not include all possible symptoms. The CDC will continue to update this list as we learn more about COVID-19.
Keep up to date on the latest symptoms from the CDC
COVID-19 Testing for all individuals
People should not arrive at a testing facility unannounced or without a scheduled appointment at a specimen collection site, hospital, emergency room or other health care facility. Only individuals who have been assigned a unique identification number will be referred to these drive-thru testing sites.
Click here to complete a questionnaire and make an appointment for Henry County.
Click here to complete a questionnaire and make an appointment for Coweta County.
Click here to complete a questionnaire and make an appointment for all other counties.
Click here to find a commercial testing site in your area.
What to do if you test positive for COVID-19
If you are sick with COVID-19 or think you might have COVID-19, click on the links below for steps on how to care for yourself and to help protect other people in your home and community.
What to Do If You Were Exposed to Someone Who Tested Positive For COVID
If you have been exposed to someone who has texted positive for COVID-19 the following links will provide you information on what you should do:
Oral Antiviral Medications
COVID-19 oral antiviral medications are currently available. These medications must be prescribed by a healthcare provider and are for treatment of mild-to-moderate, non-hospitalized persons with a positive COVID-19 test, who are at high risk for severe COVID-19.
Contact Tracing
What is Contact Tracing?
Contact tracing is the process of quickly identifying, assessing, and managing people who have been exposed to a disease to prevent additional transmission. When used with other public health measures like widespread testing and social distancing, contact tracing is a key strategy for preventing further spread of COVID-19. DPH is scaling up and training a large contact tracer workforce to stop the transmission of COVID-19.
How Does Contact Tracing Work?
Once you are tested, you will receive your COVID-19 result from your provider’s office or – if tested at a public health site – from the lab where your specimen was tested. However, DPH is unable to contact you until we receive notification of your positive result from the provider’s office or lab via SendSS (statewide electronic notifiable disease surveillance system). Once it is reported in SendSS, DPH District 4 will make at least 3 attempts to contact you to follow-up and identify close contacts. If close contacts are provided, then they will be contacted by the contact tracing team to enroll in symptom monitoring for the duration of their quarantine/monitoring period. Quarantine is 14 days from last known exposure to a positive individual. Both positive individuals and contacts to positive individuals are provided with information regarding isolation and quarantine, respectively.
How to Protect Yourself
Older adults and people who have certain underlying conditions like heart or lung disease or diabetes are at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19 illness.
Learn how you can protect yourself and others from the spread of COVID
Celebrations and Small Gatherings
The COVID-19 pandemic has been stressful and isolating for many people, and gatherings can be an opportunity to reconnect with family and friends. If you are planning a gathering for a family, work, or social event, please take the proper precautions. Below is a link to the CDC with recommendations for safe gatherings.
Information Concerning the COVID-19 Vaccine
COVID-19 Vaccine Information
Georgia eligibility is open for everyone 5 years of age and older for the COVID vaccine!
Note: Pfizer is the only COVID vaccine currently approved for children aged 5 through 17.
View hours and services at clinic locations
Find all Georgia COVID-19 Vaccination Sites here
District 4 Public Health is working with local Pediatricians to bring you answers to common questions about COVID-19 vaccine in children ages 5-18.
Pediatric Vaccine Interview, Dr. Sara Goza
Pediatric Vaccine Interview, Dr. Patricia Hall
Pediatric Vaccine Interview, Dr. Lewis Jackson
Booster Dose of COVID Vaccine
Available at ALL health department locations
For those who received a primary series of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine:
People 18 years and older should receive a booster dose of any COVID-19 vaccine (Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, or Janssen) at least 5 months after completing their Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine primary series. The Pfizer-BioNTech primary series consists of two doses, except for people who are moderately or severely immunocompromised, who should receive three doses as their primary series.
People 18 years and older with moderate or severe immunocompromise should receive a booster dose at least 5 months after their additional (3rd) dose.
People 12 through 17 years old may receive a Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 booster dose based on individual risks and benefits at least 5 months after completing their primary series of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine (two or three doses, as noted in the previous bullet). Note: Only the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine may be administered for this booster dose; heterologous administration is not allowed for ages 12 through 17.
People 12 years through 17 years old with moderate or severe immunocompromise may receive a booster dose at least 5 months after their additional (3rd) dose.
For those who received a primary series of Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine:
People 18 years and older should receive a booster dose of any COVID-19 vaccine (Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, or Janssen) at least 5 months after their Moderna COVID-19 vaccine primary series. The Moderna primary series consists of two doses, except for people who are moderately or severely immunocompromised, who should receive three doses as their primary series.
People 18 years and older with moderate or severe immunocompromise should receive a booster dose at least 5 months after their additional (3rd) dose.
An 8-week interval between first and second doses may be optimal for some people ages 12 years and older, especially for males ages 12 to 39 years*. A shorter interval (3 weeks for Pfizer-BioNTech; 4 weeks for Moderna) between the first and second doses remains the recommended interval for: people moderately to severely immunocompromised; adults ages 65 years and older; and others who need rapid protection due to increased concern about community transmission or risk of severe disease. Doses administered at any time during or after the recommended interval are valid and do not need to be repeated.
For those who received a primary dose of Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine:
People 18 years and older should receive a booster dose of any COVID-19 vaccine (Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, or Janssen) at least 2 months after receipt of the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine single-dose primary regimen.
Not all types of vaccine will be available at all sites.
Vaccination record card is recommended. If we are unable to verify proof of previous vaccine you may be asked to return at a later date.
For information about COVID vaccines or to schedule a vaccination appointment visit dph.ga.gov/covid-vaccine or vaccinefinder.org or by calling (888) 457-0186.
View hours and services at clinic locations
Addition (third) Dose of COVID Vaccine
Health departments in District 4 will provide the additional (third) dose of COVID-19 vaccine, on request, if the patient can self-attest to one of the qualifying immunocompromising medical conditions.
Carefully review information before making an appointment.
Find the most recent information about vaccine in District 4 Public Health’s 12 counties here.
If you have received your first dose of COVID-19 and are looking for information on your 2nd dose, please visit our COVID-19 Vaccine clinic page.
Now that there is an authorized and recommended COVID-19 vaccine in the United States, accurate vaccine information is critical.
Get the latest Facts on the COVID-19 Vaccine
Benefits of Getting a COVID-19 Vaccine
While the COVID-19 vaccines are being developed as quickly as possible, routine processes and procedures remain in place to ensure the safety of any vaccine that is authorized or approved for use. Safety is a top priority, and there are many reasons to get vaccinated.
Frequently Asked Questions about COVID-19 Vaccination
The CDC is working with partners at all levels, including healthcare associations, on flexible COVID-19 vaccination programs that can accommodate different vaccines and scenarios.
Below are links to answers to commonly asked questions. Updates to these documents will be made as new questions arise.
For more information about COVID-19 vaccine, call the State’s toll-free hotline at (888) 357-0169. This hotline is for questions about COVID-19 and COVID vaccine only, not for scheduling appointments for vaccination.
The Georgia Department of Health publishes new and comprehensive COVID data Monday – Friday at 3:00pm on their website.
View the most recent COVID data. Please check our news section for more COVID-19 information, or scroll through the postings that are displayed on the right.