As demand surges, DeKalb extends hours at 2 COVID testing sites

As the demand for COVID-19 tests rises, the DeKalb County Board of Health is extending the hours for free testing at two locations this week.

The additional testing capacity on Tuesday, July 7 and Thursday, July 9 follows isolated incidents in which the DeKalb County Board of Health ran out of coronavirus tests due to high demand.

The number of people that show up without an appointment has sometimes affected the availability of tests later in the day, health board spokesman Eric Nickens said.

“Even with projecting for additional daily capacity beyond scheduled appointments, demand has, in a few rare instances, exceeded those projections,” Nickens said. The health board is now ending on-site registration for those without an appointment earlier in the afternoon.

Nickens also said some residents have shown up for a test ahead of their scheduled day and time; he urged people to wait until their assigned time.

This Tuesday and Thursday, the Board of Health will extend testing until 5 p.m. — two hours later than normal — at the following locations:

• Former K-Mart store parking lot (at I-285 and Buford Highway), 5597 Buford Hwy. NE, Doraville, GA 30340
• Rehoboth Baptist Church, 2997 Lawrenceville Hwy., Tucker, GA 30084