MACON, Ga. — At-home COVID tests are the new alternative to waiting in line, but viewers are asking us if those at home tests are included in the state's daily case count.
Our source is Michael Hokanson with the North Central Health District.
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Every day, the Georgia Department of Public Health releases the status of case numbers and hospitalizations within the state. With omicron on the rise, the testing site lines are getting longer.
Some people are testing from the comfort of their homes to avoid the long wait times.
"Yes, we've used the Defense Production Act and spent $3 billion to greatly expand the number of at-home tests available online," said President Joe Biden.
That number is only going up. Biden says starting in January, 500 million at-home tests will be distributed.
Currently, Georgia has over 66,000 positive cases, according to the CDC. But are at-home tests included in this number?
Michael Hokanson with the North Central Health District says the answer is NO.
"Simply because it's a product that people buy and then they test at home. They don't call up DPH and tell them, 'Hey, I tested positive,'" said Hokanson.
He says the Department of Public Health confirms cases specifically through the PCR testing conducted at public health sites.
"The at-home test is a good first step," Hokanson said. It shouldn't be your last step, though.
"Should a person use one of these at-home tests and test positive, what they need to do is go seek out a confirmatory test -- one of the PCR tests -- make sure that they're truly positive, and then they will be counted towards the actual state count in the state of Georgia," said Hokanson.
So we can verify... no, the state's daily COVID case count does not include at-home testing. The only way an at-home test would be counted is if you get tested again at a health site and test positive.
"If you do test positive on an at-home test, act as if you are positive. You shouldn't be going out to events, to school, to work, you should isolate yourself," he said.
And if you test negative? Hokanson suggests getting a confirmatory test to be sure.
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