Agawam to host free coronavirus testing site

Aug. 4, 2020 | Danielle Eaton
DanielleE@thereminder.com

AGAWAM – The Agawam Junior High School became the center of a free coronavirus testing site recently.

The testing site was the result of Governor Charlie Baker’s Stop the Spread Campaign to prevent the novel coronavirus from further impacting the Commonwealth. Health Agent for the Town of Agawam, Kathleen Auer, said state officials contacted Agawam after coming up with a list of towns that had high numbers of COVID-19 cases.

Auer said Agawam’s high number of coronavirus cases were “because of nursing homes,” but their “community spread was the same as other towns.”

“But the state didn’t know our demographics, [and] they saw we had never had a testing site here,” Auer explained. She said town officials, herself included, thought the testing site would be beneficial for several reasons.

“We decided it was a good idea because you have many people that are vacationing, college kids are returning,” she said. Auer explained that due to the current circumstances, many employers and educational institutions are requiring negative coronavirus tests prior to returning to work and school.

Auer said the Agawam Junior High School was chosen as it has a “really long driveway,” and would provide “plenty of room for people to queue up.”

She said, overall, they felt it was a “good thing to offer residents and surrounding towns.”

Initially there were just two dates scheduled for testing on August 5 and 6, but due to the high demand a second provider was being called in to add extra dates on August 12 and 13. Auer said all appointments for both the August 5 and 6 days were booked quickly. This she said, was “good, [because] it means that people are taking it seriously,” but people were understandably frustrated.

She said bringing in a second provider and adding dates had its complications though, as the Stop the Spread program “is supposed to wrap upon the 14th.”

Auer said the additional testing would only be beneficial, as “the more testing that is done, the better data we have.”

Providing the testing site comes at no additional cost to the town, as they are simply acting as a host Auer said. “It has not cost us anything, but there may be some collateral expenses,” she explained. Those expenses, Auer said, may come from having to hire officers to control potential traffic jams or hiring a janitor to clean restrooms used by workers.

In addition to the original test dates, new dates added for drive thru testing will take place at the junior high school on 1305 Springfield St. on August 7, August 8 and August 14 from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. Testing is open to everyone and for weekend dates no appointments are necessary. Those wanting to be tested do not need a referral and don’t need to have symptoms. Those with questions and concerns should call 617-745-2182.

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