A local health center in the city of Quincy has stepped up to be the first line of defense for the small city. Manet Community Health Center is a small health center in Quincy, Mass., that provides healthcare to citizens regardless of insurance. The small health center has provided an area for a testing facility, providing another shelter for the homeless and has answered general questions Quincy residents have about COVID-19.

Manet Community Health Center opened a drive-through testing center in Quincy near the North Quincy MBTA train station, allowing for first responders and Manet Health patients to get tested. According to the Patriot Ledger, “The center opened a drive-through coronavirus testing facility in North Quincy last week [week of April 6], and has since tested nearly 350 people in the city. At all five of its centers in the state, a total of 400 people have been tested for the virus and more than 30 tests were positive.” The Patriot Ledger also reported that the facility in Quincy was originally intended for Manet patients and first responders but has tested the entire clientele of Father Bill’s homeless shelter, a local Quincy homeless shelter, and other community groups in the city. The CEO of Manet Community Health, Cynthia Sierra, spoke with the Ledger about how Manet Health is still taking care of their existing patients amidst the spread of COVID-19. Manet Community Health, according to Sierra, is acting as a shock absorbent to the hospitals in the state.

The city of Quincy now has two drive-through testing facilities, one by Manet Community Health Center and the other by Harvard Pilgrim Health Care. Manet Community Health’s drive-through facility is located near the North Quincy MBTA station, while Harvard Pilgrims is located closer to the Quincy Adams MBTA station. According to Quincy Mayor Thomas Koch, Manet Community Health and Harvard Pilgrim volunteered to run tests on first responders if they had been exposed to the virus. The city of Quincy has taken numerous steps since the spread of COVID-19 to provide testing and news. Quincy now has two testing facilities as well as a local hotel opening its doors to residents who do not have a safe place to isolate themselves while waiting for test results for COVID-19. The Howard Johnson Hotel in Quincy has opened its doors to those in Quincy who do not have a safe place to self-isolate themselves while waiting for test results to come in. Manet Community Health has taken to testing all guests who stay at the Father Bill’s homeless shelter in the city and those from Father Bill’s who have been tested will be able to stay at the Howard Johnson Hotel to help the city and those who have been tested fully social distance themselves. Quincy is not the only city in Massachusetts that has had a hotel offer rooms to residents who are in vulnerable situations. According to the Patriot Ledger, “The state has contracted with several hotel owners across the state to serve as similar quarantine centers, including those in Lexington, Pittsfield and Springfield.” Many towns and cities, including Quincy, have stepped forward to help provide healthcare and answer questions that any residents might have about the coronavirus and how they can stay safe. The state of Massachusetts, city of Boston, city of Quincy and many other cities and towns have hotlines for people to call if they have questions about COVID-19.

Sites used: https://www.patriotledger.com/news/20200402/2-drive-thru-coronavirus-testing-facilities-to-open-in-quincy https://www.patriotledger.com/news/20200412/as-coronavirus-spreads-quincys-manet-community-health-steps-up https://www.patriotledger.com/news/20200409/quincy-hotel-to-serve-as-coronavirus-quarantine-site