COVID-19 is at the top of most people’s minds and a big concern is, “Do I have it?” Up until now, this has been the $64 question.
President Trump has said, repeatedly, “If somebody wants to be tested right now, they’ll be able to be tested.” Yet, in Franklin County, people have had to jump through hoops to qualify for a test. At various times, you would have had to have a doctor’s prescription, be sick with a specified set of symptoms, be above a certain age, be a health care worker, live or work in a treatment facility, be a caregiver for an older person, or — as a last resort — you could pay out of your own pocket for the testing.
Now, we’re happy to report that President Trump’s assurance of testing for COVID-19 has finally come true in Franklin County, where the Community Health Center of Franklin County has opened a free testing site in Orange, on Fridays (so far), at 450 West River St.
“We’ve got the capabilities, so we wanted to give people some peace of mind,” Community Health Center of Franklin County Chief Operating Officer Jessica Calabrese said. You have to register first and get an appointment, but you don’t have to have health insurance or symptoms to qualify. And you don’t have to have a doctor’s referral. For more information and to register, call 413-325-8501 or visit the website: bit.ly/2WKYPrD.
Thanks go to U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern, who was instrumental in securing the $222,589 in federal funding to support the Community Health Center of Franklin County through the CARES Act.
We applaud the Community Health Center’s open testing policy and wish they would bring it to Greenfield. Calabrese said the center isn’t doing this type of testing at its location in Greenfield because Baystate Franklin Medical Center is providing testing, she said, and the CHCFC didn’t want to duplicate services as long as everyone is being served.
That’s not quite the case, however. Baystate Franklin will only test a person after being referred to by a doctor. And Heywood Healthcare, owner of Athol Hospital, said its Tully Walk-in Care Center will do testing without a referral, but the person must present certain symptoms.
We call on Baystate Health to fulfill President Trump’s promise that anyone who wants to be tested, can get tested, by making COVID-19 testing free, with no strings attached, at all of its testing sites, including Baystate Franklin Medical Center.
It used to be, if you wanted to cast your election ballot by mail — otherwise known as an absentee ballot — you had to have a good reason. You had to state that you were either going to be out of town on election day, you had a physical disability preventing you from coming to the voting site, or you had a religious belief that kept you away from the polls. But now, in this COVID-19 era, anyone can request a mail-in ballot for the upcoming town elections and, in fact, town clerks are encouraging you to do just that. It’s part of an effort to enhance safety at town elections.
Some town clerks have already been discussing safety precautions, such as limiting the number of voters in a polling place at one time to encourage social distancing, and suggesting voters bring their own pens or pencils, masks and gloves. Each town still must open a polling place to the public, but town clerks are hoping to minimize the number of people voting in person by encouraging early voting.
According to Secretary of State William F. Galvin, you may request an early ballot by writing a letter to your town clerk. Be sure to include your name and address, the election for which you are requesting a ballot, and your signature. If you need the ballot mailed somewhere other than your home, be sure to provide that address.
The caveat is that you have to think ahead and submit a completed ballot application in order to receive your copy of the mail-in ballot. That application was printed on page 4 of Wednesday’s Recorder (May 13). You can also print it out by going online to www.sec.state.ma/us/ele or by calling 1-800-462-VOTE (8683).
So stay safe and vote by mail.