According to CBS 46's latest report, the Georgia National Guard and Augusta University Health began conducting COVID-19 drive-thru testing in four new locations in Metro Atlanta on Wednesday, April 23. This was in response to Governor Brian Kemp's call to open Georgia on Monday, April 27.
According to The Washington Post's previous report, Brian Kemp, the Governor of Georgia will be lifting the restrictions on a wide range of businesses in an attempt to revive the economy.
Governor Kemp said in the report that he would allow barber shops, gyms, bowling alleys, tattoo parlors, and other businesses to reopen today, April 24.
However, those establishments are still required to screen their employees for signs of fever and respiratory symptoms, as well as follow social distancing guidelines.
According to the report, restrictions on economic activity and public assembly to identify infected individuals are necessary to control the pandemic.
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New COVID-19 drive-thru testing are now being implemented: Study shows coronavirus can spread through a person's eye
According to CBS'46, new drive-thru testing locations were opened by the Georgia National Guard and Augusta University in metro Atlanta to respond on the call of Governor Brian Kemp to open Georgia on Monday, April 27.
Before patients can be tested, they first need to complete a free virtual screening via the AU Health ExpressCare App available on Android or Apple devices, or by calling 706-721-1852 before going to the locations. Screenings are available 24/7 and no appointment is needed.
The virtual screening will ask the patients about common symptoms of the virus and the duration. These symptoms include cough, shortness of breath, and fever.
Questions related to their medical history and the risk level of virus infection are also included in the screening. Individuals who are tested positive will be required to take further testing which will be conducted at their nearest drive-thru locations.
Meanwhile, those who are negative will be given their visit summary and directed to an appropriate care site for further treatment and evaluation.
Two hundred sixty tests per hour are expected to be conducted by AU Health experts at each of the new Atlanta locations with results expected to be given within 72 hours.
The new drive-thru testing locations include Decatur Armory, Greenbriar Mall, Kennesaw State University, and Georgia State University.
The new drive-thru testing locations can further help medical experts to detect infected individuals since a new study has shown that the coronavirus can also spread through a person's eye. This was according to Fox News' latest report.
In the report, a woman who traveled from China was tested positive for the virus. The doctors took a sample from her eye and detected COVID-19's RNA or the virus' genetic material. Her eyes were continually swabbed throughout her entire hospital stay.
On the 20th day, the woman's eye inflammation or infection had cleared, but the genetic material of COVID-19 remained until the 21st day.
After the infection had cleared in both her nose and eyes, the virus' RNA was detected again on the 27th day of her hospitalization. The findings were published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
