Columbus Health Department moves drive-thru COVID testing to 2 new sites. What to know
The Columbus Health Department’s drive-thru COVID-19 testing has moved to Peachtree Mall and the Shirley B. Winston Recreation Center.
Testing will be held in the mall’s parking lot between JCPenney and the AMC Theatres from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays.
Testing at the Shirley B. Winston Recreation Center at 5025 Steam Mill Rd. began on Tuesday. It is available from 9 a.m. to noon Mondays through Saturdays.
Residents who get tested at the Peachtree Mall site are not required to pre-register, but it is strongly encouraged for those who want to get tested at the recreation center, the health department said in a news release.
Testing is free for those with and without insurance.
These changes come after the health department moved its drive-thru testing to the Civic Center on Dec. 30. High demand for testing during the omicron surge led to long lines at testing sites across Columbus and the health department required more space.
Muscogee County has seen a record number of new COVID-19 cases, and the peak may still be weeks away, according to public health experts.
As of Jan. 18, the county reported 4,242 new cases over the last two weeks, at a rate of 2,214 cases per 100,000 people, according to the Georgia Department of Public Health. About 40% of PCR COVID-19 tests in the county are positive.
