Free COVID testing extended through September

LYNN — Free coronavirus testing will continue to be offered in the city of Lynn until mid-September. The testing, part of the state’s “Stop the Spread” initiative, was scheduled to end on Friday, but has been extended to Sept. 12 due to a recent spike in positive cases statewide. The initiative launched last month and consists of offering free coronavirus testing in hard-hit communities. At its launch, the initiative targeted eight communities, but has since expanded to 17, including Lynn, Chelsea and Revere. In Lynn, the majority of testing is offered through the Lynn Community Health Center at the center’s outdoor walk-through site in the Element Care parking lot on Buffum Street. Additional testing is also offered through Health Innovations/Healthy Streets Outreach Program, which has a mobile testing van set up at Lynn English High School four times a week. Dr. Kiame Mahaniah, CEO of Lynn Community Health Center, said he was pleased that the state opted to extend its testing initiative, given the rising case numbers that have been seen since late July. “I think for Lynn, it’s great because we’ve been seeing a rising rate in the past two weeks, so it’s great we can continue offering this service,” said Mahaniah. As of Saturday, the seven-day positive test rate at the health center is 9.6 percent, which is a significant spike from July 24, when the rate was 4 to 5 percent, Mahaniah said. After July 24, the rate steadily continued to rise, increasing from 6 percent on July 25 to 8 percent on July 27, 9 percent on July 30 and then stabilizing around 10 percent over the past week-plus, Mahaniah said. Although people have taken advantage of the free testing offered through the “Stop the Spread” initiative, Mahaniah said he does not think that is leading to the recent virus surge in the city. ...