SPRINGFIELD -- A partnership between the Coastal Health District and Effingham Health System will bring free COVID-19 testing to Springfield beginning Thursday.

The drive-through testing site will be located at 459 Ga. Hwy 119 South across from the west entrance to the hospital. Enter the hospital campus off First Street to access the testing site. 

The site will be open for specimen collection every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday  and Friday from 8:30 a.m.- 3:30 p.m. 

The Georgia Department of Public Health has contracted with Mako Medical, a North Carolina-based company, to provide testing services at the site. Health insurance will be billed for those with insurance, but insurance is not required, and no one will be charged a fee. 

Pre-registration is strongly recommended and will help the line move more quickly at the testing site. 

You can begin the online pre-registration process at gachd.org/covidtest. For scheduling assistance, call the COVID-19 Testing Call Center at 1-912-230-9744 Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. and Friday from 8 a.m-2 p.m. 

For information about other COVID-19 testing opportunities in Georgia, visit the Georgia Department of Public Health website at dph.georgia.gov/covidtesting.