Boston Officials Pushing For More Residents To Get COVID-19 Tests
BOSTON (CBS) - The City of Boston is sending out text alerts to some residents, directing them to COVID-19 testing sites, including sites that are free and available regardless of symptoms.
"I totally recommend it," said Renada Dasilva, who stopped by East Boston's pop-up testing site even though she doesn't have symptoms. "To be safe, I just decided to come in, just 'cause I know that cases are going up and I'm like, oh I don't want to be one of them," she said.
CHECK: Map Of COVID-19 Testing Sites In Boston
Massachusetts is now experiencing the biggest jump in cases since May, with about a fifth of the state currently in the high-risk red zone. That has medical experts pushing for more testing of asymptomatic people.
"You might not even know it because you feel fine, and yet those people who feel fine, who get COVID-19, could potentially spread it to others," said Dr. Paul Sax, Director of the Infectious Diseases Division at Brigham and Women's Hospital. "All of us are hoping for a home testing option."
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health database shows the number of tests people took this week fell dramatically, from 83,440 last Wednesday, to only 1,449 one week later.
"We'd like to see tests increase," said Dr. Sax. "It's always concerning when you see tests go down while cases are going up."
