BLAIRSVILLE, Ga – The Union County Farmers Market is the location for a COVID-19 testing event from August 29 through September 2.

Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Emory University have partnered together for the research event. They will be testing people of all ages every day this week, Sunday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. and Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Local officials are supporting the event and anyone who can participate in clinical research can attend. Participants will be asked for nasal swabs, oral swabs, and/ or saliva in addition to the COVID-19 testing.

People who participate will receive a $50 gift card as compensation. The Farmers Market is located off Hwy 76 on 290 Farmers Market Way.

The Farmers Market event for Tuesday is canceled. Regular activities will resume on Friday, September 3.

The recent COVID-19 outbreak in Union County has resulted in the Farmer’s Market changing the Labor Day schedule for this weekend. The tractor parade will be a tractor show and they will be exhibited toward the Hunter/England cabin.

The Agriculture Hall of Fame ceremony will be an announcement.

Union County Farmers Market is highly encouraging masks and for anyone not vaccinated to consider getting the vaccine. Last week, the FDA fully approved the Pfizer vaccine. Anyone 12 and older can receive the Pfizer vaccine. Moderna and Johnson and Johnson are expected to be approved within the next couple of months.

93 percent of the COVID-19 patients at Union General Hospital are unvaccinated. The local hospital is 160 percent overcapacity in the ICU.

Of the 64 inpatients at UGH, 46 are COVID-19 positive and a total of 72 percent of inpatients have been COVID-19 positive. 43 of those 46 were unvaccinated and 3 were vaccinated.

Union General Health System has cared for over 800 COVID-19 patients since the start of the pandemic. They are currently experiencing the largest surge in the community.