COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) – Over the last several weeks COVID-19 cases in the peach state have continued to increase and so has the need for testing.

The tests are not only important to know if you have or do not have the virus, but some people need them in order to return back to work or school.

Public Information Officer for the West Central Georgia Department of Public Health Pamela Kirkland said DPH had to re-up their hours for testing and vaccinations as we entered the fourth surge.

“A few months back things kind of were very slow, things were quiet. So we shorten our days and hours and now because of the delta variant we have increased our testing again,” said Kirkland. “So here in Columbus we are testing at the Columbus Health Department Monday through Friday from 9 to 1. It’s drive-in, in the back you will see the area where people are getting tested and that’s all you need to do there’s no charge for testing at any of the health departments in our district.”

Kirkland said the department is going to try to accommodate everyone who needs tests as well as vaccines and expanding the hours again during this surge will help do that.

“We went from like five days a week to like three days a week to two days a week and then we went back from two days a week to three days a week and then we just went five days a week again,” said Kirkland. “So it was kind of you know an up and down kind of situation and that’s going to happen throughout our district and it’s going to happen throughout the rest of the time that we have to do testing. Ya know, we’re going to try and accommodate everybody that we can based on the numbers and how things are going.”

Kirkland said it is important to note testing and vaccinations at any of the health departments offices is free.