Braintree Orders Weekly COVID-19 Testing For Nursing Home Staff

BRAINTREE, MA — Mayor Charles Kokoros issued an emergency order requiring weekly coronavirus testing for all employees at long-term care, rehabilitation and assisted living facilities.

The order became effective at 11:50 p.m., Saturday and requires testing regardless of the nature of the work being performed at the facility.

Kokoros said he believes the order will minimize the spread of COVID-19 amongst one of Braintree's most vulnerable populations. About 90 percent of the town's 120 coronavirus deaths have come from nursing homes, Kokoros said.

"This is a preventative measure we need to take to ensure that what occurred in these facilities does not happen again," Kokoros said.

The order also requires facilities to provide an environment for residents to quarantine in accordance with all applicable local and state health department guidelines, as well as guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Additionally, it requires the facilities to report all positive cases directly to the Braintree Board of Health.

"Now that we have the access to testing, we can take this proactive step towards protecting our residents," Kokoros said.