More tests keeping focus on COVID containment

Though Massachusetts appears to have gained the upper hand in controlling the spread of the coronavirus, a few communities — the majority Gateway Cities — have struggled to attain that goal.

In recognition of that fact, the Baker administration on Wednesday introduced a new summer testing program targeting eight hot spots where cases and positive test rates far exceed the statewide average, and where the volume of testing being done has declined significantly over the past two months.

The new testing initiative, dubbed “Stop the Spread,” launched Friday and will run through Aug. 14. It’s free and available for people with or without symptoms.

The increased testing will be available at new brickand-mortar sites or mobile testing vans deployed in Lowell, as well as Chelsea, Everett, Fall River, Lawrence, Lynn, Marlboro and New Bedford.

The governor did not rule out expanding the testing to other communities, or shifting resources as dictated by the public-health data.

The governor said residents in these eight communities represent 9% of the state’s population, but account for 27% of the positive cases detected over the past two weeks.

The positive test rate in those cities also far exceeds the statewide rate of 1.9%; testing’s also down 40% in these communities since the end of April, perhaps an indication of a creeping complacency.

That’s as troubling as those higher positive test results.

Recent polling done by Suffolk University for the WGBH News, the State House News Service and other outlets supports that concern. It suggests people have become more relaxed about social distancing, which was evident over this past Fourth of July weekend. Only 44.2% of those polled in mid-june said they were very strict about social distancing, compared with over 69% a little more than a month ago, and 11.4% said they weren’t strict at all.

It’s a credit to state residents’ general adherence to social-distancing, maskwearing and hygiene guidelines that positive test results in the high single digits prompted this new testing push.

Among the cities targeted for extra testing, Chelsea reported 7.46% percent positivity, while Lawrence posted a 7.05% rate.

Fall River had a positivity rate of 6.17%, followed by New Bedford (5.7%), Lynn (4.81%), Everett (4.47%), Lowell (4.1%) and Marlboro (2.7%).

Those figures would have been praised a month ago.

In Lowell, testing will be offered Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Lowell Community Health Center, 162 Jackson St., by appointment only; call 978-937-9700. On Mondays and Fridays, testing will take place at the Life Connection Center, 192 Appleton St., from noon to 4 p.m., either by appointment or walk-up.

Locations and times are subject to change; check the Mass.gov website under “Stop the Spread” beforehand.

Despite the existence of these relative hotspots, we continue to observe an overall downward trend in many of the key metrics.

In light of this progress, Baker allowed Massachusetts to enter the third phase of his reopening strategy last Monday, which included the reopening of museums, small theaters and gyms. Boston is scheduled to enter that phase on July 13.

We urge residents of these eight communities – and those in other cities and towns – to take advantage of this free testing opportunity.

Increased testing, especially in these targeted communities, may increase positive outcomes, but it also will give us a more accurate COVID-19 picture.