Free COVID-19 testing is available for members of the community and anyone else in Winterville this afternoon. Shawanda Johnson, the Family Connection-Communities in Schools Neighborhood Leader for the area says the testing is particularly timely coming after the Thanksgiving holiday.
“We just wanted to get together to encourage our community, and to encourage anyone to please, please, please, get tested. Everybody has been on vacation, they might have went to family for Thanksgiving, so now is the time you’re back, now is the time to get tested so once you go back to work, you’ll already know. Testing usually takes about two days to get your results back.”
Those getting tested do not have to have any symptoms of the virus. Johnson says the testing process is fast and simple.
“The process is quick. You just come in, give them your name, you fill out a couple of things, they ask you your date of birth, they do not ask you for your social security number, so you don’t have to worry about that, and then she moves you to the next table where the nurse will do the little swab and put it in a sealed bag, and you’ll be able to see the whole process so nothing will be hidden from you.”
Testing takes place from 12 pm to 4 pm at 2075 Winterville Road across from the Athens Airport. Test results should be available in one to three days.
The Athens Neighborhood Health Center, Habitat for Humanity, and FC-CIS are all partnering to provide the testing.
