Brockton expanding COVID-19 testing next week

BROCKTON, Mass. — Brockton has a reputation as one of the toughest cities in Massachusetts, but it is also among the hardest hit by the coronavirus.

“We have a 36% positive rate, and that’s just staggering,” said Sue Joss, Chief Executive Officer of the Brockton Neighborhood Health Center. “We just didn’t have as much testing available as we wanted.”

Brockton Hospital had been conducting COVID-19 tests along with the health center, and, starting Monday, the city’s high school will serve as the site of its expanded testing.

Brockton is second only to Boston with 2,735 positive cases of coronavirus as of Wednesday, the last time the Massachusetts Department of Public Health published town-by-town data.

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Brockton is also known as one of the most diverse communities in the commonwealth, and communities of color have been deeply impacted by COVID-19.

“We have wonderful Cape Verdean people, Angola, Nigerian, Irish, Italian, it runs the gamut,” said Brockton Mayor Robert Sullivan.

He added that getting the message out to all people in the community who fit the testing criteria is paramount.

The city is working with clergy, cultural groups, radio stations, and posting about the high school testing site on the city’s website.

Even with the capacity to test more people, the site is not for everyone. People will need to call to be screened over the phone before being allowed to be tested at the high school, officials said.

That number to call is (844) 483-7819.

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