Free, mobile COVID-19 testing now available in Roxbury, Jamaica Plain, and East Boston

Mayor Martin J. Walsh today announced the availability of free COVID-19 testing for anyone regardless of symptoms at three locations around the City of Boston this week. In addition to the City's existing mobile testing teams in partnership with East Boston Neighborhood Health Center and Whittier Street Health Center, there is now free mobile COVID-19 testing available in Jamaica Plain, located at Anna Mae Cole Community Center until Thursday, December 3. The City of Boston is partnering with LCG to add this site to increase testing capacity citywide, following increased demand for Thanksgiving.

East Boston Neighborhood Health Center will continue its mobile operation in East Boston's Central Square, located on Border Street across from Liberty Plaza Shopping Center. Whittier Street Health Center's mobile COVID-19 testing team will now operate in Washington Park Mall at 333 Warren Street in Roxbury. Both of these COVID-19 mobile testing teams will be available until Saturday, December 5. 

"In the City of Boston, we are committed to providing equitable access to COVID-19 testing in our neighborhoods, and I'm pleased to build on that work with this new resource," said Mayor Walsh. "It's especially important now for anyone who spent the Thanksgiving holiday with people outside their household to get tested and limit the further spread of COVID-19. I want to thank LCG for their partnership on this new testing site, and I want to thank East Boston Neighborhood Health Center and Whittier Street Health Center for their continued partnership on providing free and equitable testing access in Boston."

In Jamaica Plain, testing is available in partnership with LCG through Thursday, December 3 at the Anna Mae Cole Community Center, located at 10 Lamartine Street Ext. Testing is available to anyone at no cost and regardless of symptoms and insurance. Testing is available by walk-up only during the hours below. With questions, individuals should contact the Mayor's Health Line at 617-534-5050.

• Tuesday, December 1: 3:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.   
• Wednesday, December 2: 3:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
• Thursday, December 3: 3:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. 

"We are deeply concerned by the rapid uptick in COVID-19 cases in Massachusetts and are honored to work with the City of Boston to provide our residents with the means to obtain free testing. The LCG Boston team is committed to promoting and supporting our neighbors' health and well-being and urges everyone to respect the safety of their loved ones and peers to minimize the risk of spreading the virus," said Aaron Chan R.N. CEO and Founder of LCG Boston. "In light of the holiday season, it is particularly imperative that we work together as a community to flatten the curve by following CDC safety guidelines and getting tested when necessary. Together we can save lives and hasten our mission to return to some semblance of normalcy."

East Boston Neighborhood Health Center's COVID-19 mobile testing team, in partnership with the City of Boston, will continue to operate in East Boston at Central Square Park on Border Street, across from Liberty Plaza Shopping Center. Anyone can get tested for free and regardless of symptoms and immigration status. Testing is available by appointment during the hours listed below. Please call 617-568-4500 to schedule an appointment.

• Tuesday, December 1 - Friday, December 4: 1:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
• Saturday, December 5: 10:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Since launching, East Boston Neighborhood Health Center's COVID-19 mobile testing team has administered 17,909 tests. For the week of November 23, the site administered a total of 773 tests. 

"It is vitally important that we remain vigilant and focus on reducing the spread of COVID-19 in the community, especially following the Thanksgiving holiday," said East Boston Neighborhood Health Center president and CEO Manny Lopes. "Our actions now will impact the well-being of our neighbors moving forward. Continue to wear a mask, wash your hands, practice social distancing, and get tested."

WHITTIER STREET HEALTH CENTER: WASHINGTON PARK MALL

The City's mobile COVID-19 testing team in partnership with Whittier Street Health Center is now located in Roxbury at the Washington Park Mall at 333 Warren Street. Testing is available to anyone regardless of symptoms and immigration status, and at no cost. Individuals are asked to pre-register by calling 617-858-2406 before visiting the site during the hours listed below. 

• Tuesday, December 1 - Friday, December 4: 1:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
• Saturday, December 5: 10:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.

The mobile site testing initiative was announced by Mayor Walsh in May as a way to help fill any gaps in testing availability, prioritizing neighborhoods and populations that need dedicated testing efforts to create equitable access to testing. The mobile testing teams have previously been located in Roxbury, Allston, South Boston, Mattapan, East Boston, and Dorchester. 

In addition to the City's two mobile testing sites and this week's testing in Jamaica Plain, COVID-19 testing is available at over 30 locations across the city. Individuals can call the Mayor's Health Line with any questions using 617-534-5050. View a complete list of all testing sites. 

Mayor Walsh recently announced the City of Boston launched "Get The Test, Boston," a pledge designed to encourage residents to get a COVID-19 test. Additionally, businesses who sign the pledge will share testing resources and information with their employees. 

The City of Boston has been partnering with community health centers to increase access to testing, particularly in neighborhoods experiencing higher rates of COVID-19. As of Monday, November 23, 2020, there were 401,520 COVID-19 tests of Boston residents. For all Boston residents, the current community positivity for tests decreased from 5.4% for the prior week (November 10-16) to 3.4% for the current week (November 17-23). The latest numbers of cases from the Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) by neighborhoods are available online.

Resources and information about COVID-19 are available online. Resources available on Boston.gov and through City departments include support for renters and homeowners; small businesses; free meals for Boston students; free toiletries for Boston students; support for older residents; information on homeless shelters; resources for those in recovery or those who have a substance use disorder; and mental health resources. More information on Boston's reopening can be found at boston.gov/reopening.

For additional questions or programs, please visit our coronavirus website or call 3-1-1, Boston's 24-hour constituent hotline. Text BOSCOVID to 888-777 to receive text alerts on a regular basis, available in 11 languages.