The Coastal Health District of Georgia serves the counties of Bryan, Camden, Chatham, Effingham, Glynn, Liberty, Long & McIntosh

COVID-19


COVID-19 Vaccine for Younger Children Now Available at the Glynn County Health Department; Coming Soon to Camden County

Beginning Thursday, June 30, 2022, children aged 6 months – 4 years will be able to get the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at the Glynn County Health Department in Brunswick. Beginning July 7, 2022, the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 6 months – 5 years will be available at the Camden County Health Department in St. Marys.

Appointments are required and can be scheduled online:

If you need assistance scheduling an appointment you may also call the health department directly.

“I know there are parents who have been waiting eagerly for this moment, so even their youngest children can have the benefit of vaccine protection,” said Dr. Lawton Davis, Health Director of the Coastal Health District. “Vaccination is the best way to safeguard children against severe illness and long-lasting health impacts from COVID-19 infection.”

While children and adolescents are typically at lower risk than adults of becoming severely ill or hospitalized from COVID-19, it is still possible. COVID-19 has become one of the top 10 causes of pediatric death, and tens of thousands of children and teens have been hospitalized with COVID-19. Side effects to the COVID-19 vaccines are typically mild and subside in one to two days — like soreness in the arm, fatigue, headaches, or a slight fever.

You do not have to be a local resident to receive the vaccine at the Glynn or Camden County Health Departments. There is no out-of-pocket cost for the vaccination regardless of insurance status.

Additional health departments in the Coastal Health District expect to offer COVID vaccination for this younger population soon. For more information and the latest on availability, please visit covid19.gachd.org/vaccine.

Free At-Home COVID Test Kits Now Available at County Health Departments

Over the counter COVID-19 test kits are convenient and offer quick results, and now they’re available for free at your local county health department in Bryan, Camden, Chatham, Effingham, Glynn, Liberty, Long, and McIntosh Counties. The tests, also called at-home tests or self-tests, can be taken anywhere, and work whether or not you have symptoms. The rapid antigen tests give results in just a few minutes and do not need to be dropped off at a laboratory.

“Testing is a valuable tool for protecting our communities,” said Dr. Lawton Davis, Health Director of the Coastal Health District. “It’s a good idea to take a COVID test if you start having symptoms, if you’ve been in close contact with someone with COVID-19, or if you’re going to gather with a group of people and want to make sure you’re not infected. We’re excited to increase access to these at-home tests, making them available for free to everyone in our communities.”

To get a free at-home test kit, visit one of the local county health departments or CARE centers in the 8-county Coastal Health District and request a test kit. Household limits apply. You do not have to provide health insurance information and no ID checks are required.

Click here for more information about how to use a self-test kit and what to do if you test positive.

COVID-19 Testing Site to Close in Camden County

A significant decrease in demand for COVID testing has prompted public health officials to close the COVID-19 testing site at the Camden County Health Department in St. Marys. The last day for testing at this site is Thursday, March 17, 2022.

“We’ve done more than 5,000 COVID tests in Camden County over the last two years, and we’re proud to have served our community in this way,” said Dr. Lawton Davis, Health Director of the Coastal Health District. “There was a time when testing options were limited and demand was high. But the landscape has changed – demand has fallen sharply, and there are many other options for COVID testing in the area. It’s time for us to scale back, with the knowledge that if the situation changes in the future we can expand again if necessary.”

Several local healthcare providers in the area offer COVID testing, and at-home self-test kits can be ordered for free from the federal government at covidtests.gov. COVID testing by public health is also available six days a week in Glynn County on Kemble Avenue, across from the Emergency Care Center of Southeast Georgia Health System.

Click here for more information about COVID-19 testing options through public health in the Coastal Health District.

Chatham Co. Health Dept. Resumes Normal Operations By Appointment

Updated Feb. 4, 2022:

Effective Monday, February 7, the Chatham County Health Department will resume normal operations, offering all routine public health services by appointment.

Last month, the Health Department limited some services while coping with staffing shortages due to COVID-19 cases and exposures. The Midtown Clinic at 1602 Drayton Street was closed for routine public health services, and the main clinic on Eisenhower Drive offered a reduced number of services.

Beginning next week, all services and locations will be back to normal operating hours and offerings. Services are still by appointment only as we attempt to reduce crowding in common areas and encourage social distancing. Face masks are required for anyone age 2 and older.

For more information about public health services offered by the Chatham County Health Department, visit coastalhealthdistrict.org/chatham. Appointments can be scheduled by calling 912-356-2441.


January 11, 2022

Effective immediately, the Chatham County Health Department is shifting operations to cope with staffing shortages due to COVID-19 cases and exposures.

The Midtown Clinic at 1602 Drayton Street will be closed for routine public health services for the rest of this week. Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) and PREP services will still be offered at the Midtown clinic by appointment only. The main clinic at 1395 Eisenhower Drive will offer essential services only. Individuals with existing appointments may be contacted to reschedule.

Essential services are available by appointment at the Eisenhower clinic, and include:

  • Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
  • Childhood immunizations required for school attendance
  • Infectious Disease Services (STD/TB/HIV)
  • Contraception services
  • Babies Can’t Wait
  • Child dental services
  • Pediatric COVID vaccines

Call 912-356-2441 to schedule an appointment.

“Like so many other organizations right now, we’re working to find the right balance between keeping our doors open and keeping our patients and employees healthy and safe,” said Dr. Chris Rustin, Administrator of the Chatham County Health Department. “We’ll go back to normal operations just as soon as our staffing levels improve.”

This change does not affect Environmental Health services or Vital Records, nor does it impact operations at the Chatham County Health Department’s COVID testing sites or COVID-19 vaccination sites.

COVID-19 Testing Resumes at Savannah Civic Center January 10, 2022

Free COVID-19 testing by the Coastal Health District will resume at the Savannah Civic Center beginning Monday, January 10, 2022. Testing operations at the location were temporarily suspended because of previously scheduled events in the arena. When testing resumes, samples will be collected in the Civic Center’s parking lot.

The Civic Center testing site will be open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., and the first and third Saturday of the month from 8:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

The site offers PCR testing, which is more accurate than rapid antigen testing, but samples must be sent to a lab for analysis. Results are usually available in 36-48 hours. There is no cost for the test, and you do not need an appointment, but pre-registration is required. You can access registration links for all Coastal Health District testing sites at covidtestsavannah.com. For registration assistance, call our COVID-19 testing hotline at 912-230-9744.

The Coastal Health District also offers a drive-through COVID-19 testing site on the Georgia Tech Savannah Campus at 210 Technology Circle. This site is open Monday – Friday from 7 a.m. – 3 p.m. and Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

COVID-19 testing is also available through many area pharmacies, healthcare clinics, urgent care centers, and other providers. Please do not go to a hospital emergency room for testing unless you’re experiencing severe COVID-19 symptoms requiring urgent medical attention. You can use a testing site locator on the Georgia Department of Public Health to see additional testing options, including those outside of public health, at dph.georgia.gov/covidtesting.

Oral Antiviral COVID-19 Treatments Available at Select Retail Pharmacies

The Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) is announcing the allocation of Merck and Pfizer oral antiviral treatments for COVID-19 to select retail pharmacies in Georgia. Initial supply of Molnupiravir and Paxlovid™ from the federal government is very limited. DPH anticipates additional allocations in the coming weeks as production increases.

Per guidance from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), initial allocations were made to federal pharmacy partners. DPH has partnered with Walmart, Walgreens, and Good Neighbor Pharmacy Group (a group of small independent pharmacies) to ensure coverage across the state. Pharmacies currently allocated treatments can be found on the DPH website at https://dph.georgia.gov/dph-covid-19-guidance.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an emergency use authorization for Molnupiravir by Merck and an emergency use authorization for Paxlovid™ by Pfizer as oral antiviral treatments of COVID-19. Early studies indicate these treatments may reduce severe outcomes from COVID-19 including hospitalization or death. The antivirals are recommended for treatment of individuals who are at high risk for severe COVID-19 or have underlying medical conditions. Both drugs require a prescription and should be initiated as soon as possible after diagnosis of COVID-19 and within five days of symptom onset.

While antivirals may help treat COVID-19, vaccination is the best prevention against COVID infection. Georgians aged 5 and older are eligible for vaccination. Georgians 16 and older are eligible for boosters six months after completing their primary vaccine series of either Moderna or Pfizer (only Pfizer is authorized for booster doses in 16- and 17- year-olds) and two months after their J&J vaccine. For COVID vaccination opportunities by the Coastal Health District, visit chdcovidvax.org.

Basic prevention measures should also be followed to help prevent further spread of COVID and mitigate outbreaks of infection, especially in public settings: wear a mask, physically distance, and wash your hands frequently with soap and water.

Public Health COVID Testing Sites Open on December 31st

Due to increased demand for COVID-19 testing, the public health testing sites in Chatham and Glynn counties will be open on Friday, December 31st.

The Chatham County testing site on the Georgia Tech Savannah Campus located at 210 Technology Circle will be open from 7 a.m. – 3 p.m.

The Glynn County testing located at 3011 Kemble Avenue (in the parking lot across from the Emergency Care Center of Southeast Georgia Health System) will be open from 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.

There is no cost for COVID-19 testing through public health. It is crucial that people pre-register for testing at public health testing sites to help the specimen collection site process move smoothly. Pre-registration only takes a couple of minutes and helps prevent back-ups at testing sites. To pre-register for a COVID-19 test, visit coastalhealthdistrict.org/covidtest or call our COVID-19 Testing Call Center which is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday. The Testing Call Center number is 912-230-9744.

For updated information on COVID-19 testing and vaccination, please visit our website at https://covid19.gachd.org.

DPH Urges Georgians NOT to Go to Hospital Emergency Departments for COVID Testing

Atlanta – To help keep hospital emergency departments open to treat medical emergencies, individuals seeking COVID testing should not go to hospital emergency departments, unless they are experiencing severe COVID-19 symptoms requiring urgent medical attention. Asymptomatic individuals or individuals with mild symptoms should find testing sites other than hospital emergency departments.

COVID-19 testing locations are available throughout Georgia and can be found on the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) website at https://dph.georgia.gov/covidtesting.*

*To find public health testing sites in the Coastal Health District, please visit the District website at coastalhealthdistrict.org/covidtest.

We are working with our lab partners to expand testing hours and add testing sites, however, lines will continue to be long as thousands of Georgians want to get tested.

To help alleviate delays at testing sites, it is critical that people register BEFORE going to a DPH test site. Online registration (https://dph.georgia.gov/covidtesting) will help alleviate back-ups at test sites and free up staff to do more testing if they aren’t doing registration paperwork. 

COVID vaccination is available statewide and is our best tool for ending this pandemic and reducing the overwhelming strain on the healthcare system and healthcare providers. To find a COVID vaccination location, visit https://dph.georgia.gov/covid-vaccine. Georgians aged 5 and older are eligible for vaccination. Georgians 16 and older are eligible for boosters six months after completing their primary vaccine series of either Moderna or Pfizer (only Pfizer is authorized for booster doses in 16- and 17- year-olds) and two months after their J&J vaccine. Basic prevention measures should also be followed to help prevent further spread of COVID and mitigate outbreaks of infection, especially in public settings: wear a mask, physically distance, and wash your hands frequently with soap and water.

Chatham Co. Health Dept. Partners with West Chatham YMCA to Open New Vaccination Clinic in Pooler Dec. 27

The Chatham County Health Department is opening a new COVID-19 vaccination clinic in Pooler in partnership with the West Chatham YMCA. Beginning Monday, Dec. 27, the new vaccination site will open on the YMCA campus at 165 Isaac G. LaRoche Drive in Pooler.

The site will operate every Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., offering the following FREE vaccinations:

  • Monday & Wednesday: Pfizer (age 12+), Pfizer booster (age 16+), Johnson & Johnson (age 18+), and Johnson & Johnson booster (age 18+)
  • Thursday: Pfizer (age 12+), Pfizer booster (age 16+), Moderna (age 18+), and Moderna booster (age 18+)

Walk-ins are accepted, but appointments are recommended and can be scheduled online at chdcovidvax.org. For assistance with a vaccination appointment, please call our COVID-19 vaccine hotline at 912-230-5506, Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Friday from 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. except for holidays.

Omicron Spread and Prevention Measures for Holiday Gatherings

The Georgia Department of Public Health is urging Georgians to carefully follow COVID-19 prevention measures during holiday celebrations and gatherings to keep yourself and your loved ones safe.

COVID case numbers are increasing daily, and the Omicron variant is spreading faster than any previous variant.

Surveillance for COVID variants is done through genomic sequencing of PCR positive test results. In Georgia, the most recent genomic sequencing is from week ending Dec. 4, and at that time, the Delta variant was responsible for 98% of new COVID cases. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) uses genomic sequencing data to project current variant proportions and now estimates Omicron accounts for more than 73% of new COVID cases in the United States. Given the rapid transmissibility of the Omicron variant, the current proportion of Omicron in Georgia is likely similar to that of the national estimate, and presumably will account for all new COVID cases in the state in the coming weeks.

Regardless of the variant, mitigation and prevention measures for COVID-19 are the same. To help prevent transmission and to reduce your risk of exposure DPH recommends:

  • Get a COVID vaccination and booster dose.
  • For young children who aren’t yet eligible for the COVID vaccine, reduce the risk of exposure by making sure the people around them are vaccinated.
  • Wear well-fitting masks over your nose and mouth in public indoor settings.
  • Physically distance, about six feet, around people outside of your own household.
  • Avoid crowded, poorly ventilated spaces and remember that outdoor activities are safer than indoor activities.
  • Wash your hands frequently with soap and warm water. Use hand sanitizer if soap and water aren’t available.
  • If you are sick or have symptoms of COVID-19, don’t host or attend a gathering.
  • Follow CDC recommendations for holiday travel.
  • Get tested if you have symptoms of COVID-19 or have a close contact with someone who has COVID-19.

Testing is critically important to help reduce the spread of COVID-19. If you have symptoms or had a known exposure to someone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19, you should be tested, regardless of your vaccination status. Consider getting a COVID test before gathering indoors with others to determine if you’re positive for COVID and to reduce the risk of spreading infection. If you test positive, you should isolate and inform close contacts. A negative test result indicates either you are not infected or that you are at low risk of spreading disease to others, even though it does not necessarily rule out an infection.