MACON, Ga. — The latest surge in COVID-19 cases has lots of people looking to get tested, just like in 2020.
Doctor Jason Smith with Primary Pediatrics says there seeing a big increase in testing.
"Before these last two weeks, we slowed way down, but it picked back up about mid-week, last week," Smith said.
Before then, they tested about 20 to 40 kids a day.
Smith said, "Most of those were more for travel or positive contact, really weren't sick kids."
Now, they are testing about 150 kids a day, so they're only taking children and family members with COVID-19 symptoms, "because our volume is so high, it just takes time to run all those tests," Smith said.
Maybe you've seen the "COVID-19 testing by appointment signs" at CVS and at Walgreens, but not every visible location has available testing appointments.
So if you're having trouble getting an appointment at CVS or Walgreens, check with your primary care physician.
Right now, Primary Pediatrics on Bowman Road has day-of appointments available, but you must call ahead.
Woods Medical on North Macon Street is accepting walk-ins from 8:30 to 10:30 in the morning, Monday through Friday, and Saturday and Sunday from 2 to 4 in the afternoon.
You just pull up to the employee side of their building, and one of their frontline workers comes out with a swab.
Now, you don't have to be a patient at Woods Medical or Primary Pediatrics.
At this time, Macon-Bibb County's Health Department is not offering testing.
However, the North Central Health District is running three public health testing sites.
Baldwin, Hancock, and Houston Counties are scheduling testing appointments online on the North Central Health District's website.
They do not do rapid testing, and at this point, GEMA says they are not planning on re-opening their mass testing locations.
Smith also said, "Remember, if you get exposed, you are not going to show a positive test until about day five, so if you know you had an exposure, coming the next day really is not that valuable, because that is not enough time to know if you are infected with COVID-19. So give it four or five days before we test."
On Wednesday, CVS on Bass Road had two different COVID-19 take-home tests, both costing more than $25.