LAWRENCE, MASS. (WHDH) - The mayor of Lawrence on Tuesday announced a new COVID-19 testing initiative in an effort to combat a recent uptick in positive coronavirus cases.
Lawrence currently ranks 20th in Massachusetts in regards to the number of overall tests that are administered on daily basis, despite being among 23 communities that are considered high-risk for the deadly virus.
Mayor Dan Rivera said more mobile testing resources will be made available across the city so residents can easily get tested if they are feeling ill of fear they may have come in contact with a COVID-positive person.
Data released by the Department of Public Health indicates that Lawrence has the highest infection rate in Massachusetts, with an average of 25 new daily cases per 100,000 residents.
The goal moving forward is to conduct 1,000 tests per day, a mark the city has been falling woefully short of, according to Rivera.
Rivera said a testing trailer will be towed around from neighborhood to neighborhood. A new mobile health center valued at $350,000 is expected to up and running by January.
“Our Lawrence families already have so much to worry with job loss, remote learning, the need for childcare, and other things,” Rivera said during a news conference. “Every day we’re trying to get more people tested and make it easier…If you see the mobile health unit rolling through your neighborhood, follow it, and go get tested.”
All tests are available to the public at no cost.
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