Brookline Offers Free COVID-19 Tests To Residents At Several Locations

BROOKLINE, MA — Brookline residents are encouraged to pick up free COVID-19 tests that the Department of Health and Human Services is offering ahead of the fall and winter indoor seasons.

Tests are available at the Department of Health at 11 Pierce Street, the Main Library branch at 361 Washington Street, the Coolidge Corner Library at 31 Pleasant Street and the Putterham Library at 959 West Roxbury Parkway, and the Brookline Senior Center (for those 60 or older) at the 93 Washington Street.

No registration is required to receive the test kits, and each household may receive up to four kits.

Assisted living facilities, daycares or preschools, faith-based organizations, nursing homes, senior housing or other organizations and large-population groups can request tests to be distributed in bulk using this form.

"As we head into the colder months, access to testing remains an effective tool in preventing the spread of the COVID-19 virus," Brookline Public Health Director Sigalle Reiss said. "We encourage all members of our community to take advantage of the free test kits to ensure they can monitor their health and keep others safe."

The Health Department advises people to test for COVID-19 if they experience a fever, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, fatigue or loss of taste or smell. It is recommended that anyone who has been exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 test for six days after being exposed.

Those who test positive are advised to stay home and avoid others, including those in your household who are not sick. Normal activities can be resumed once symptoms are improving and the person testing positive has been fever-free without the use of fever-reducing medication for at least 24 hours.

For the next five days after that, those testing positive are urged to take extra precautions to protect others such as improving indoor air quality, practicing good hygiene, wearing a mask and maintaining physical distance, especially when around others indoors. These measures are especially important to protect individuals at higher risk for severe illness from respiratory viruses.

If symptoms worsen or persist, the Department urges residents to consult a healthcare provider.