Salem, Massachusetts – The City of Salem, in partnership with North Shore Community Health, North Shore Medical Center/North Shore Physicians Group, and the Point Neighborhood Association will hold a free COVID-19 testing event on Saturday, June 13th from 9:00 a.m. to noon at the On Point Center, 50 Leavitt Street, near Palmer Cove park. Up to 200 tests will be completed on a first-come, first-serve basis for residents who are at least 15 year of age and either have COVID-19 symptoms or have been in close contact with someone who does.
You do not need to be a patient of North Shore Community Health or North Shore Physicians Group to be tested and no health insurance is required. There is no cost for this test and you will not be asked about your immigration status.
This is part of a series of community testing efforts being set up by the City of Salem and its partner organizations, with a focus on testing vulnerable and high-risk populations. Previous community testing work was conducted amongst the City’s homeless population and the staff who work with those individuals. The next round of community testing will take place in senior housing facilities operated by the Salem Housing Authority. More details about that testing will be announced when they are available.
“I am extremely grateful to the City staff and volunteers who have led the effort to make this program possible,” said Mayor Kim Driscoll, “And also to our community partners at NSCH, NSMC, NSPG, and the Point Neighborhood Association. Creating a community testing process has been exceptionally complicated, but for the last few weeks these individuals and institutions have stepped up to make it happen. We know that expansive and regular testing is a critical part of a real recovery from this pandemic and we are committed to doing what we can to test as broadly as possible to meet that goal.”
Salem residents can also sign up for COVID-19 testing through private testing sites being offered at Walmart and CVS, or through a referral by their primary care provider if they meet eligibility requirements. Registration, eligibility, and other details about testing available at Walmart and CVS can be found at https://doineedacovid19test. com/ and https://www.cvs.com/ minuteclinic/clinic-locator/ covid-19-testing/salem-covid- 1025.html respectively.
For more information about Saturday’s event at the On Point Center, contact Maggie Brennan from North Shore Community Health at Margaret.Brennan@nschi.org or 646-286-5471.
