STOP THE SPREAD-New COVID-19 Testing Site in Holyoke

A Stop the Spread test has opened at Holyoke Community College. Testing will run until 9/12/20.

– 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.

– A walk-up site in another location will be opening shortly.

– 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

 

Beginning Saturday Massachusetts exempts 4 more states from travel rules requiring visitors to quarantine

Massachusetts is making four additions to the list of states from which visitors are exempt from Gov. Charlie Baker’s strict quarantine rules.

In a tweet Friday afternoon, the Department of Public Health announced that, effective Saturday, travelers from Colorado, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia no longer have to quarantine for 14 days or show proof of a negative COVID-19 test within the past 72 hours upon visiting Massachusetts, after the four states were moved to a lower-risk category. Read More about it here: https://www.boston.com/news/coronavirus/2020/08/28/massachusetts-exempts-4-more-states-from-travel-rules-requiring-visitors-to-quarantine

 

 

Massachusetts Cities and Towns Struggling to Enforce State’s COVID Restrictions

As the number of coronavirus cases in Massachusetts ticks upward, some local health officials say that the challenge of enforcing COVID-19 restrictions has laid bare structural issues in the state’s public health framework that long pre-date the pandemic.

In early August, Gov. Charlie Baker paused the state’s economic reopening in response to the recent rise in cases, lowering outdoor gathering size limits from 100 people to 50 and giving state and local police authority to enforce coronavirus-related orders. His order also clarified that state restrictions apply to all gatherings, whether on public or private property. Read the full story here: https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/massachusetts-cities-and-towns-struggling-to-enforce-states-covid-restrictions/2184071/

 

Free COVID Testing Available in Springfield and Agawam Has Been Extended Until September 12.

The Commonwealth is launching a strategic testing program in communities across Massachusetts that have continued to see a higher number of residents testing positive for COVID-19.  Springfield and Agawam are two of those communities.  Get the full information here: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/stop-the-spread

 

Currently there are 1061 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 8,791 deaths among the 117,888 confirmed Covid-19 cases. *Massachusetts is now reporting “probable” Coronavirus deaths in addition to confirmed cases.