BOSTON (WHDH) - Boston gave out more than 180,000 at-home COVID-19 tests to city residents this week ahead of the Christmas holiday, officials announced Thursday.
“We want to thank our residents for responding to this call, and for taking this quick action to protect themselves, their families, and their communities,” the Boston Public Health Commission said in a statement. “Our focus has been on speed, equity, and getting kits in the hands of people in high-risk populations.”
The BPHC says it partnered with Boston Public Schools to distribute over 58,000 kits to families to ensure a safe return from winter break.
Nine Boston Public Library branches also handed out more than 79,000 kits to residents experiencing high barriers to access and COVID inequities, while the Boston Centers for Youth and Families got kits into the hands of people living in East Boston, Dorchester, Roxbury, Mattapan, and Hyde Park.
Most distribution sites in the city have exhausted their supplies because the demand for tests was enormous, according to the BPHC, although a limited number of kits will be available at the BPL’s East Boston, Grove Hall, and South Boston branches on Thursday evening.
Residents are urged to call ahead before going to a pickup location.
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