With the COVID-19 positive test rate coming down a bit here and across the city, Mayor Martin Walsh said this week he’s expecting another surge in cases following the Thanksgiving holiday.
Walsh and public health experts are still urging residents to get tested in order to know their COVID status and properly isolate to decrease the spread of the virus.
There are over 30 testing sites across the city and the city was trying to increase testing for Jamaica Plain residents this past week.
At the free testing site at the Anna Mae Cole Community Center in Jamaica Plain the city spent Tuesday through Thursday testing residents in order to prevent community spread.
“In the City of Boston, we are committed to providing equitable access to COVID-19 testing in our neighborhoods, and I’m pleased to build on that work with this new resource,” said Mayor Walsh. “It’s especially important now for anyone who spent the Thanksgiving holiday with people outside their household to get tested and limit the further spread of COVID-19.”
The COVID-19 test site initiative was announced by Walsh 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.
In addition to the testing sites in Jamaica Plain that ended Thursday, testing is available at over 30 locations across the city. Individuals can call the Mayor’s Health Line with any questions using 617-534-5050.
A full list of testing sites across Boston can be found at https://www.boston.gov/departments/public-health-commission/covid-19-testing-sites.
Walsh recently announced the City of Boston launched “Get The Test, Boston,” a pledge designed to encourage residents to get a COVID-19 test. Additionally, businesses who sign the pledge will share testing resources and information with their employees.
The City has also been partnering with community health centers to increase access to testing, particularly in neighborhoods experiencing higher rates of COVID-19.