LYNN — A new free coronavirus testing center will open at the Lynn ferry terminal this month as part of the state’s “Stop the Spread” initiative.
The new testing site was announced Monday by Gov. Charlie Baker, who said Lynn will operate one of three new express testing centers, which are all expected to open by the end of the month.
The new regional drive-through testing sites in Lynn, Framingham and New Bedford will be operated by Project Beacon, the same company that is currently running the “high-volume express testing site” in Revere, Baker said.
“Their model has proven to be quick and efficient, as anyone can book an online appointment or visit a drive-through testing site,” said Baker. “These four testing locations will have the capacity to do up to 1,000 tests per day per site.
“The Framingham location is launching today and the rest will be open and operational by the end of December. These testing sites will also be winterized, so as the weather gets bad, folks can get in and out safely.”
The three new express testing sites add to the $150 million investment that has already been made in testing throughout the Commonwealth, said Baker, who also announced the expansion of free testing in four counties — Barnstable, Berkshire, Franklin and Hampshire — during his press briefing Monday.
“In total, with today’s additions, the state will be supporting free COVID-19 testing, so far, in 25 communities,” said Baker. “That’s an increase of 17 communities compared to when we launched the ‘Stop the Spread’ program back in July.
“Last spring, when we first launched this program, the Commonwealth was completing around 3,000 tests per week at our state-operated sites. By the end of December, with this new plan in place, the state will have the capacity to complete 110,000 tests a week through free testing sites that are sponsored by the Commonwealth, which represents a 50 percent increase for state financed and organized testing sites alone.”
In Lynn, which has been one of the hardest-hit areas in terms of the spread of COVID-19 in the state, Massachusetts residents can get tested at three separate sites through the state-funded initiative.
According to the state website, people can get tested through Lynn Community Health Center at 50 Blake St. on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (closed 12 to 1 p.m.); Thursday, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Saturday, 1 to 4 p.m.; and Sunday, 1 to 4 p.m.
Free testing is also available through Transformative Healthcare at Lynn English High School, 50 Goodridge St., from Monday to Saturday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.; and at the Federal Street lot, directly across from Market Basket, from Monday through Saturday, 12 to 6 p.m., according to the state website.
Baker said the state-supported sites are extremely efficient, noting that on average, tests conducted at Massachusetts “Stop the Spread” sites have a turnaround time of less than two days.
However, he said, people need to keep in mind that “testing only represents a moment in time” and that people need to be diligent about adhering to COVID-19 prevention protocols, particularly after the spike in new cases that followed the Thanksgiving holiday.
“Massachusetts is now experiencing a rapid increase in new positive cases in the wake of Thanksgiving,” said Baker. “And in turn, the number of people becoming ill and needing hospitalization is also increasing.”
In Lynn, the post-Thanksgiving spike resulted in two consecutive days of the city breaking its single-day record for new COVID-19 cases last week. Last Wednesday and Thursday, the city reported 169 and 191 new cases respectively, and another 129 on Friday.
Another 51 new cases and an additional death were reported Monday in Lynn, which brings the city’s caseload to 8,485 and its death toll to 136. Of that total, 1,545 cases are active and 6,804 people have recovered, according to city data.
New cases were also reported Monday in Lynnfield, Nahant, Peabody, Revere and Swampscott.
In Lynnfield (393 cases, 15 deaths), 46 new cases have been reported since last Friday; nine new cases were reported in Nahant (105 cases, six deaths); 150 new cases have been reported in Peabody (2,741 cases, 212 deaths) since last Friday; 67 new cases and five additional deaths were reported in Revere (4,993 cases, 119 deaths); and Swampscott (346 cases, 11 deaths) has reported 49 new cases since last Thursday.
Numbers have not been updated in Marblehead (441 cases, 31 deaths) or Saugus (1,425 cases, 46 deaths) since last Friday.
Baker urged Massachusetts residents to learn from the spikes that stemmed from people gathering with others outside of their households for Thanksgiving, which he said public and health officials had advised against ahead of the holiday.
“I urge everybody to take the lesson from that, and to understand and to recognize that if you’re going to be with people you don’t live with and you’re going to be in situations and environments where masks are not already required, you need to put on a mask and keep your distance,” said Baker. “And if possible, just avoid those types of circumstances and situations altogether, because they are exactly what drives a big piece of this spread.”
