Stop The Spread Of Coronavirus

Press release from the Town of Hamilton:

December 14, 2020

Stop the Spread of COVID-19

YOUR actions make a BIG difference! Have symptoms? Get tested!

During a normal year, we would expect to go to school and work and be in public with mild symptoms like a headache or cold symptoms, but not during this pandemic!

Mild symptoms are often all that show up for people, especially kids. Even if the mild symptoms go away after a day or two, if the person has COVID-19, they can still spread the virus. The virus can make some people very, very sick.

Right now, we all need to follow up with testing and/or a doctor’s appointment even for mild symptoms and even if the symptoms go away after a day or two. It could be COVID-19, or not. You won’t know unless you get tested.

Symptoms Consistent With COVID-19:

• Fever (100 degrees F or higher), chills, or shaking chills
• Cough (not due to other known cause)
• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• New loss of taste or smell
• Sore throat
• Headache when in combination with other symptoms
• Muscle aches or body aches
• Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea
• Fatigue, when in combination with other symptoms
• Nasal congestion or runny nose (not due to other known causes, such as allergies) when in combination with other symptoms.

Monitor yourself and your loved ones for symptoms. If you have any symptoms, call you doctor and get tested with a PCR test.

Testing Info:

PLEASE STAY HOME WHILE WAITING FOR YOUR RESULTS if you get tested because of symptoms you recently had or have.

• Get tested at Miles River Middle School on Hamilton/Wenham testing days if you have had symptoms and you’re not sure if its covid or not, or if you are a close contact of a COVID positive individual. Insurance is requested, to help our resources go further, but if you are uninsured, the town can pay for your necessary test. https://www.hamiltonma.gov/government/covid-19-testing/
• Get tested for free, without an appointment and with quick results at any of the MA Stop the Spread testing sites:
  • https://www.salem.com/home/news/commonwealth%E2%80%99s-%E2%80%9Cstop-spread%E2%80%9D-covid-19-testing-salem
    
• The Revere Suffolk Downs Stop the Spread site is also free, but takes appointments and gets results back the same day. It will take a few days to get an appointment:
  • https://www.revere.org/departments/public-health-division/coronavirus#:~:text=Stop%20The%20Spread%20Free%20Testing,Administration%20Stop%20the%20Spread%20initiative.
• Get tested at one of 4 local pharmacies, get swabbed before 12 noon on a weekday and get results in 48 hours or less:
  • https://schedule.veritasgenetics.com/ - This service requires $120 out of pocket for the pcr test. Check with your insurance company for reimbursement guidelines. This is a great option for testing due to travel, as those tests would not be covered by insurance anyway.
• In addition to STS sites, Massachusetts residents who are a close contact or who have COVID-19 symptoms can obtain a test, covered by their insurance, at more than 350 testing sites across the Commonwealth, with no co-pay. Residents can also order at-home test kits like Pixel, which are covered by insurance and available for uninsured individuals as well. These tests are easy-to-use, arrive via overnight shipping, and currently have an average turnaround time of 1-2 days according to LabCorp.
• Testing is also available through CVS and American Family Care. Appointments are booked several days out and results are taking up to a week, but often less.
• Your doctor’s office can also arrange for testing. North Shore Medical Center, affiliated with MGH/Brigham offers drive through appointments for rapid PCR tests with same day results. Lahey drive through testing results are taking up to 6 days to report, but often less.
• Visit mass.gov/gettested for more information and to find a testing site near you.

COVID-19 Safety Basics:

• Stay at least 6 feet apart from others.
• Wear a multi-layered mask which fits well and covers your mouth and nose when out in public or around people who are not your household members.
• Wash your hands with sanitizer or soap and water frequently.
• Don’t touch your face.
• Want to get together with friends and family over the holidays? It is possible to do while reducing risk of transmission, but you need to follow the guidelines: https://www.mass.gov/doc/stop-covid-19-tips-for-a-safe-thanksgiving-english/download
• Go to Mass.gov to see the latest guidance and information on COVID-19.
  • https://www.mass.gov/info-details/covid-19-updates-and-information

This press release was produced by the Town of Hamilton. The views expressed here are the author’s own.