Howard County General Hospital with support from the Howard County Health Department will offer COVID-19 community testing in places of worship throughout Howard County this fall at no cost to patients. Both adults and children can be tested, and a physician order is not required for testing events listed below.

• Sunday, Sept. 13, from 8 to 11 a.m. at St John Baptist Church at 9055 Tamar Drive in Columbia

• Saturday, Sept. 19, from 8 a.m. to noon at Christ Episcopal Church at 6800 Oakland Mills Road in Columbia

• Saturday, Sept. 26, from 8 to 11 a.m. at Oakland Mills Interfaith Center at 5885 Robert Oliver Place in Columbia

• Saturday, Oct. 3, from 8 to 11 a.m. at First Baptist Church of Guilford at 7504 Oakland Mills Road in Columbia

• Saturday, Oct. 10, from 8 to 11 a.m. at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at 4100 St. John’s Lane in Ellicott City

• Sunday, Oct. 25, from 8 to 11 a.m. at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at 6020 Ten Oaks Road in Clarksville

• Saturday, Oct. 31, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Celebration Church at 7101 Riverwood Drive in Columbia

Advance registration online is encouraged. COVID-19 test results are typically available within 24 to 48 hours. Dates and times are subject to change depending on weather conditions. For more information, visit the hospital website, email HCGH-J2BH@jhmi.edu or call 410-740-7601.

Howard County General Hospital works with faith groups in Howard County through the hospital’s Journey to Better Health program. Journey to Better Health provides free health screenings, classes and a Member Care Support Network to help Howard County residents take charge of their health by identifying, monitoring and managing their health conditions. The program is made possible through a grant from the Howard County Health Department.

“We have forged strong partnerships with our faith-based organizations over the years and are grateful for their support of efforts to expand access to testing in the community,” said Elizabeth Edsall Kromm, vice president of Population Health and Advancement at Howard County General Hospital. “It’s one more step in the hospital’s fight against the pandemic.”

About Howard County General Hospital

Howard County General Hospital: A Member of Johns Hopkins Medicine is a not-for-profit health care provider with 225 licensed beds located in Columbia, Maryland. A comprehensive, acute-care medical center, Howard County General offers a full range of services, from neonatal care and oncology to outpatient treatment and critical care.

The hospital has a professional staff of more than 1,100 physicians and allied health professionals, representing nearly 100 specialties and subspecialties; a workforce of more than 1,850 individuals and over 330 volunteers.