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Date: 1/18/2022
EASTHAMPTON/NORTHAMPTON – As of Jan. 4, the cities of Easthampton and Northampton have joined together to provide a regional drive-through COVID-19 testing site located at Millside Park, 22 Ferry St. in Easthampton.
Addressing the motivation that pulled the cities together in this effort, Easthampton’s Public Health Director Bri Eichstaedt said that since the two cities are “neighbors,” she and Northampton’s Director of Public Health Meridith O’Leary are close and are in contact weekly. She added that it made sense to them to streamline testing for their communities because Northampton planned on providing testing for its residents twice a week, and Easthampton was set to provide testing three times a week. In addition, O’Leary recognized that the Easthampton site at Millside Park was going well, so they decided to continue to provide the testing at this location.
Eichstaedt said, “We have been working together for a while now,” and they felt it would be easier for residents to remember and access having one regional location instead. Furthermore, joining the two cities together for regional testing made sense logistically and was another way to conserve their limited resources, according to Eichstaedt.
The initiative was also sparked by previous discussions between Eichstaedt and Mayor Nicole LaChapelle, and Eichstaedt said they agreed there was a significant need for testing.
Originally, Easthampton provided testing at City Hall, but the two cities wanted to transition to a drive-through model. Eichstaedt said this change involved meeting criteria, including building a rest room and having an area for storage.
She said they could not find a location that could accommodate all of their needs, so they decided to use a heated tent instead and substituted a rest room with a portable toilet. After talks with the Easthampton Farmers Market, who had been using the COVID-19 testing company Curative at their Sunday market, Eichstaedt facilitated Curative to provide the testing five days a week and switched the testing site to the more convenient Millside Park location.
Now that the testing is in full swing, Eichstaedt stated she wanted residents to know that the Curative website states that the results take “24 to 48 hours.” However, she clarified that the “24 to 48 hour” time period is when it arrives at the lab, not when it’s taken. In addition, she said residents can track their tests from the time it was taken through a link that Curative provides.
The Millside Park COVID-19 testing is by appointment only. Due to the current high demand with the site servicing approximately 240 appointments per day,according to Eichstaedt, it may take several days to make an appointment. They are open Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Friday, 12 to 4 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The testing site is closed on Wednesdays.
To schedule the COVID-19 test, visit https://book.curative.com/sites/34189.
Northampton Director of Public Health Meridith O’Leary was unavailable for comment as of press time.