BOSTON
- Monday, August 3, 2020 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh today announced that the
City of Boston's pop-up COVID-19 testing site, in partnership with the East
Boston Neighborhood Health Center, will now be offering COVID-19 testing in
South Boston. This COVID-19 testing initiative will be available starting
tomorrow, Tuesday, August 4 to Saturday, August 15 at Moakley Park on Old
Colony Avenue near 1187 Columbia Road in South Boston. Testing will be
available at no cost for both symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals by
walk-up only. No appointment needed but registration is required for
individuals to receive test results. For a quicker testing experience,
residents are encouraged to pre-register at (617) 568-4500.
"Testing
is one of the best tools we have to stop the spread and reopen safely, and
we're going to keep making sure it's widely available here in Boston,"
said Mayor Walsh. "If you think you might be sick, or if you've been
in a group without distancing or masks, get tested. Thank you to the East
Boston Neighborhood Health Center for your partnership in making COVID-19
testing more accessible for more residents."
The
dates and hours of operation at Moakley Park on Old Colony Avenue near 1187
Columbia Road in South Boston are:
Tuesday, August 4th to Friday, August 7th: 2:00 p.m.- 7:00
p.m.
Saturday, August 8th: 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Tuesday, August 11th to Friday, August 14th: 2:00 p.m. - 7:00
p.m.
Saturday, August 15th: 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
The
pop-up testing initiative was announced by Mayor Walsh back in May as a way
to help fill any gaps in testing availability, prioritizing neighborhoods
and populations that need dedicated testing efforts to create equitable
access to testing. The site was located at the Washington Park Mall in
Roxbury in June and most recently at the BCYF Jackson Mann Community Center
in Allston. In Allston, over the course of 10 days, there were 3,205
COVID-19 tests conducted. Of 2,504 results received so far, approximately
1% tested positive for COVID-19.
"We
are glad to be partnering with the City of Boston to provide pop-up testing
sites throughout the city," said East Boston Neighborhood Health
Center president and CEO Manny Lopes. "Testing is one of the ways
that we can mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and by offering accessible
testing at sites in Boston, we are able to minimize the spread especially
among our most vulnerable populations. For 50 years, East Boston
Neighborhood Health Center has served residents of Boston regardless
of status and we will continue to do so, even in the face of new
challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic."
In
addition to the City's pop-up and mobile testing sites, COVID-19 testing is
available at over 20 locations across the city. Mobile testing sites also
continue to be available at select locations, prioritizing neighborhoods
and populations that need dedicated testing efforts to create equitable
access to testing. Individuals can call the Mayor's Health Line with any
questions using 617-534-5050. For a complete list of all testing sites,
visit here.
The
City of Boston has been partnering with community health centers to
increase access to testing, particularly in neighborhoods experiencing
higher rates of COVID-19. As of July 27, 2020, there were 115,712 COVID-19
tests of Boston residents. Of 115,712 total tests of Boston residents, 12.5
percent have tested positive, which is down from 13.3 percent reported
through July 20. The latest numbers of cases by Boston neighborhoods are
available here.
Mayor
Walsh and the Boston Resiliency Fund Steering Committee have dedicated over
$1,720,000 to expand COVID-19 testing and conduct culturally appropriate
outreach and education to community health centers across City of Boston
neighborhoods, including Bowdoin Street Community Health Center, Codman
Square Community Health Center, The Dimock Center, DotHouse Health,
Mattapan Community Health Center, Uphams Corner Community Health Center,
Whittier Street Community Health Center, Charles River Community Health,
Fenway Health, Greater Roslindale Medical & Dental Center, Harbor
Health, East Boston Neighborhood Health Center, Harvard Street Neighborhood
Health Center, Southern Jamaica Plain Health Center, South Boston Community
Health Center, NEW Health Charlestown, South End Community Health Center,
and Brookside Community Health Center. The Fund has also supported
telehealth services and equipment at those community health centers as well
to connect testing to safe treatment options at home.
Resources
and information about COVID-19 are available online.
Resources available on boston.gov and through City departments include
support for renters and homeowners; small businesses; free meals for Boston
students; free toiletries for Boston students; support for older residents;
information on homeless shelters; resources for those in recovery or those
who have a substance use disorder; and mental health resources. More
information on Boston's reopening can be found at boston.gov/reopening.
For
additional questions or programs, please visit our coronavirus website or
call 3-1-1, Boston's 24-hour constituent hotline. Text BOSCOVID to 888-777
to receive text alerts on a regular basis, available in 11 languages.
###
|
沒有留言:
發佈留言