STOP THE SPREAD WALK UP COVID-19 Testing Site in Holyoke
A new walk-up COVID testing site opened today in Holyoke at 323 Appleton St. Testing hours are Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 3pm to 6pm. Testing will run until 9/30/20.
STOP THE SPREAD DRIVE UP COVID-19 Testing Site in Holyoke
A Stop the Spread test has opened at Holyoke Community College. Testing will run until 9/30/20.
– The site will operate Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday 7am – 11am. Tuesday and Thursday 2pm -7pm. Testing will be open and available regular hours on Labor Day.
– Turnaround time for results is typically 4 days or fewer.
– This test site is first come, first serve. There are no appointments. Please do not call the Health Department or Holyoke Community College to make an appointment.
– The test site at Holyoke Community College is a drive-through only test site. Please do not get out of your vehicle. Signage and Campus Police will be readily apparent to help you access the site easily.
– To help speed up the process, please have your information ready. They will ask for your full name, address (you must be a Massachusetts resident), phone number and email address.
– There is no cost for the testing. You do not need a referral, nor do you need to be symptomatic.
– The test style will be the less invasive swab in the lower nostril. The older style that required further insertion of the swab will not be used.
– If you have previously tested positive, DPH and CDC guidelines do not recommend getting retested at this time.
– If you are acutely symptomatic, particularly if you have a high fever, consider scheduling a test with your Primary Care Physician.
– Information on all of the Stop the Spread test sites across the State can be found at: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/stop-the-spread
Massachusetts to let arcades reopen next week, Gov. Charlie Baker says
Facing lawsuits from arcade owners, Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker announced Thursday he is signing an executive order to allow indoor and outdoor arcades to resume operations next week.
The Republican governor, delivering updates on his Shared Streets grant program, said the executive order will allow indoor and outdoor arcades to reopen instead of having to wait until Phase 4 to open their doors. Baker also plans to sign an executive order to extend the timeframe for municipal permitting for expanded outdoor dining. Read the full story here: https://www.masslive.com/business/2020/09/massachusetts-to-let-arcades-reopen-next-week-gov-charlie-baker-says.html
Current Massachusetts Travel Restrictions:
Massachusetts has added Delaware, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia to its current travel restrictions. This means the current low-risk states that do not require travel forms are: Washington, Oregon, Wyoming, New Mexico, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Colorado, Maine, New Jersey, and Connecticut.
To view full travel restrictions and a full list of states by designated risk, click here: Massachusetts Travel Order
Here’s How Many Coronavirus Cases There Have Been at Every College in New England
As college students across New England return to campus for the fall semester, they’re all being tested for the coronavirus. And so far, more than 700 have tested positive at nearly 80 schools in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont.
A New York Times database is tracking all of the coronavirus cases at colleges and universities across the country. The list includes public, four-year universities in the United States, through Sept. 2. So schools like the University of New Hampshire, which recently had an outbreak of at least 11 cases, are not yet included. Read the full story here: https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/heres-how-many-coronavirus-cases-there-are-at-every-college-in-new-england/2191364/
Family visits at Holyoke Soldiers’ Home suspended again after employee tests positive for COVID-19
Family visits have been suspended once again at the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home after an employee tested positive for COVID-19.
The employee plays an “administrative role” rather than providing clinical care to patients, according to an email sent to patients’ families at 9:45 p.m. on Sept. 4 and obtained by The Republican.
“A non-clinical staff member of the Home tested positive for COVID-19 during this week’s routine staff surveillance testing. The staff member was asymptomatic and immediately sent home,” the letter by Administrator Valenda Liptak reads. “This staff member is in an administrative role and does not provide direct care to residents. The employee and those employees who were in the employee’s immediate area ave been directed to quarantine at home.” Read the full story here: https://www.masslive.com/news/2020/09/family-visits-at-holyoke-soldiers-home-suspended-again-after-employee-tests-positive-for-covid-19.html
As of today there are currently 1090 positive COVID cases in Holyoke -(<1% increase)
Weekly Public Health Report (Updated Wednesday) Contains town-by-town numbers, long-term care facility information, and more: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/covid-19-response-reporting#covid-19-weekly-public-health-report-
Massachusetts comprehensive daily “dashboard” illustrating the spread of this virus across regions and demographics: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/covid-19-response-reporting#covid-19-daily-dashboard-
Testing has a turnaround time of 1-5 days and many cases are being clinically diagnosed (no testing or reporting involved). All are advised to behave as though they are carriers of Covid-19.
The curve we need to flatten: County numbers graphed over time can be found here: https://www.wmasscovid.com/
Massachusetts has now experienced a total of 8,971 deaths among the 122,202 confirmed Covid-19 cases.