Boston Mayor Martin Walsh announced the city is teaming up with its public health commission and Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) to evaluate Covid-19 exposure through antibody testing of 1,000 asymptomatic residents.
MGH will administer both diagnostic and antibody testing, according to a release from the mayor, which added the randomized testing is “critical.”
Randomized sampling will focus on residents living in East Boston, Roslindale and within the boundaries of zip codes 02121 and 02125 in Dorchester, the release said.
“It is our hope that by conducting this testing, we as a collective City will get a better understanding of the true prevalence of COVID-19 in our community,” Walsh said. “The more we can expand our testing, the more we can learn how to use our medical resources more efficiently, and how we need to focus our current efforts to contain the virus. I want to thank MGH for being an excellent partner on this effort that we hope will be a step forward towards the path to recovery.”
Participation in the study is voluntary for residents who have been contacted, and available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Testing for the study is expected to be completed by May 1 and summary data will be made publicly available following.
Outreach in the communities began Sunday. No resident will be charged for testing.
