Ga. heath centers to receive more than $12.2 million for COVID testing

Some of the more than two dozen specimen collection volunteers perform free COVID-19 tests at a pop-up site at the House of Hope on Monday, May 4, in Decatur.    Curtis Compton ccompton@ajc.com

Credit: Curtis Compton

Credit: Curtis Compton

Some of the more than two dozen specimen collection volunteers perform free COVID-19 tests at a pop-up site at the House of Hope on Monday, May 4, in Decatur. Curtis Compton ccompton@ajc.com

Nearly three dozen health centers in Georgia will share more than $12.2 million in federal dollars to expand testing for COVID-19.

This infusion of funding is part of nearly $583 million awarded across the U.S. and its territories by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to boost testing capacity. The money is going to centers funded by its Health Resources and Services Administration, which provide health care services to populations that have limited access to health care services.

“Widespread testing is a critical step in reopening America, and health centers are vital to making testing easily accessible, especially for underserved and minority populations,” agency Secretary Alex Azar said in a press release.

The money will fund a variety of efforts related to testing, including the purchase of personal protective equipment, staff training, test procurement and notifying contacts of those who test positive of their exposure to the virus.

The centers receiving funding are located across Georgia, and include urban and rural areas.

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