Health departments across Georgia will continue to offer free COVID-19 vaccinations and tests in the wake of Thursday's expiration of the federal Public Health Emergency declaration.
According to a press release from the Georgia Department of Public Health, COVID-19 is no longer a public health emergency due to access to vaccines, ample testing infrastructure, and more widespread immunity due to vaccination or infection.
Georgia has seen a drop in COVID-19 cases since the end of the peak of the Omicron surge at the end of January 2022. Specifically, daily COVID-19 reported cases are down 98%, COVID-19 deaths have declined 97% and newly reported COVID-19 hospitalizations are down 97%.
"Most prevention tools, like vaccines, treatments, and testing, will remain available," the press release said. "Other tools such as certain data sources and reporting, will change."
COVID-19 vaccines and tests will still be available at no cost to the public at health departments throughout the state for the foreseeable future. Additionally, regional drive-through testing sites will remain open, such as the Union County General PCR drive-through site.
Medication to prevent severe COVID-19 cases, such as Paxlovid, will remain available at no cost while supplies purchased by the federal government last. After these supplies run out, the price will be determined by the medication manufacturer and individual health insurance coverage.
"The end of the PHE declaration also means some of the data that was mandated will no longer be reported to DPH or nationally," the release said. "COVID-19 cases will remain reportable and cases that are reported to DPH will still be published in the DPH Weekly COVID Status Report, as will deaths and some hospital data. Percent positivity will no longer be published since reporting of negative COVID-19 test results which are required for calculating percent positivity will no longer be reported. This also means the CDC’s Community Transmission Index and Community Transmission Levels will be discontinued."
The state department of public health said that while the emergency declaration has ended, COVID-19 is not over. They urge Georgians to stay up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccinations, get tested if they have been exposed to COVID-19 or have symptoms, stay home if they are sick and check with a healthcare provider for available COVID-19 treatments.
