GREENFIELD — During two days of free COVID-19 testing at Greenfield Community College this week, the city identified 17 positive cases the first day and it’s still unknown how many the second day.
The testing, sponsored by the city and its Health, Fire, Police and Public Works departments, with the help of the Franklin Regional Council of Governments (FRCOG) and American Medical Response (AMR), was conducted on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The college hosted the two-day event and is expected to become the site of a state-run testing site by the end of December or beginning of January. People from across the county, like on Tuesday and Wednesday, will be able to be tested for free into at least March, according to Mayor Roxann Wedegartner.
“The two testing days were well organized, well done and well attended,” she said.
The site tested 1,436 people over the two days, or about 2 percent of the county.
“It was a testimony of love and care that Franklin County has for its people,” Wedegartner said. “And people need to remember that testing is good, but with increased testing, we expected to see an increase in positive results, so our numbers went up.”
Wedegartner said that’s actually good news, because public health nurses and officials across the county are contact tracing, and people who are asymptomatic or have been exposed, for instance, can be isolated or quarantined so they don’t infect others.
Wedegartner said 629 people were tested the first day and 807 on the second day.
“We’re so happy to say that the more permanent site will be in Greenfield,” she said. “Our legislators worked hard to make Franklin County a priority, and the new site will be indoors. It’s a great opportunity for us.”
The mayor said the city is doing all it can to make sure people are safe and healthy and doing what they need to do to keep COVID-19 case numbers under control.
“And we’ll keep doing that,” she said.
Wedegartner said more information about the testing site at GCC will be released as the city receives it from the state.
Reach Anita Fritz at 413-772-9591 or afritz@recorder.com.