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 coronavirus positive test rate drops to new low of less than 1%
Massachusetts health officials on Sunday reported 13 new coronavirus deaths and 174 new cases as the average positive test rate dropped to a record low level of less than 1%.
The 13 new coronavirus deaths bring the state’s COVID-19 death toll to 9,049, the state Department of Public Health announced. The three-day average of coronavirus daily deaths has dropped from 161 at the start of May to 12 now.
The state has logged 128,229 cases of the highly contagious disease, an increase of 174 confirmed cases and 25 probable cases since Saturday. Of the 128,229 total cases, at least 103,920 people have recovered. Read the full story here: https://www.bostonherald.com/2020/08/30/massachusetts-coronavirus-positive-test-rate-drops-to-new-low-of-less-than-1/
Currently there are 1069 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 8,816 deaths among the 118,483 confirmed Covid-19 cases. *Massachusetts is now reporting “probable” Coronavirus deaths in addition to confirmed cases.