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AMERICAN MEDICAL RESPONSE COVID-19 “STOP THE SPREAD” TESTING SITE CLOSING APRIL 1, 2023

American Medical Response (AMR), the City of Springfield’s provider of medical transportation, announced today in collaboration with the Commonwealth’s “Stop the Spread'' initiative, Springfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno and Health and Human Services Commissioner Helen Caulton-Harris’s offices, that the daily “Stop the Spread” COVID-19 testing site at the Eastfield Mall will be indefinitely closed starting April 1, 2023. 

AMR, partnered with the “Stop the Spread” initiative, first opened the COVID-19 testing site on August 29, 2020. Over the past 2.5 years, more than 130 AMR frontline workers administered 455,031 tests that lead to 60,870 positives for coronavirus. The highest number of tests administered in one day was 3,279 on January 3, 2022. In total, more than 225,000 tests were administered to Springfield residents.  

“I want to thank Patrick Pickering, Northeast Vice President of Operations, Patrick Leonardo, Northeast Regional Director, and the dedicated team at AMR for their efforts throughout the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Mayor Domenic J. Sarno. “Thanks to their coordinated efforts offering free COVID-19 testing at the Eastfield Mall here in Springfield as part of the ‘Stop the Spread’ initiative, thousands and thousands of individuals and their families were able to get their results within 24-72 hours, where they could take any and all appropriate measures needed to care for their health and wellbeing. AMR also partnered with my administration, working closely with Health and Human Services Commissioner Helen Caulton-Harris to establish strategic neighborhood testing sites across our city at the height of the pandemic and before the vaccine was available.  Simply put, AMR has been a tremendous corporate and community partner for our Springfield, helping to keep our residents and business community safe.  Now, with Governor Healey announcing an end date to the state’s COVID-19 Public Health Emergency on May 11th, and with at-home testing kits readily available and an ample supply of the vaccine and booster shots accessible for everyone, the need for AMR’s testing site at the Eastfield Mall is no longer necessary and we can begin the process of phasing out this operation. Again, I cannot thank AMR enough for their herculean efforts working with my administration to keep everyone informed and as safe as possible. Thank you.”

“I am grateful to AMR for stepping up to support the ‘Stop the Spread’ initiative,” said Springfield Health and Human Services Commissioner Helen Caulton-Harris. “Thanks to their efforts, in partnership with the city of Springfield Department of Health and Human Services, we were able to gauge the penetration of the virus in our community during the onset of the pandemic.  The demand and need for a large-scale testing site in a location that was easily accessible for not only Springfield residents but individuals from the surrounding communities was vital.  Thanks to AMR, we were able to provide test results in 24-72 hours so we can better mitigate the spread of the virus.  Although the virus is here to stay, we now have a much better understanding of it, how it spreads, at-home testing kits, and just as importantly, we now have the life-saving vaccine and booster shots to mitigate its spread.”

“We are incredibly proud of the more than 130 AMR frontline workers who worked tirelessly over the past two-and-a-half years to offer COVID-19 testing services for Springfield and western Massachusetts,” said Patrick Leonardo, AMR Northeast Regional Director. “We thank the Commonwealth for their assistance with the ‘Stop the Spread’ initiative, and we appreciate the support from Mayor Sarno and Commissioner Caulton-Harris throughout those unprecedented, challenging times. AMR first responders will continue to be there at a moment’s notice to help anyone in need as this pandemic continues.”

The CDC recommends COVID-19 vaccines for everyone 6 months and older and boosters for everyone 5 years and older, if eligible. Some people may need to take more steps to be better protected from COVID-19, including:

  • Anyone not up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines 
  • People with weakened immune systems or underlying medical conditions

Commissioner Caulton-Harris is reminding the public to stay vigilant when it comes to signs and symptoms of COVID-19.

“Again, this virus is here to stay and will be part of our new norm,” said Caulton-Harris. “It is important for everyone that is eligible to get your vaccine and booster shot to help mitigate the effects of the virus, and although it may seem simple, practice good hygiene by washing your hands often. Consult with your doctor and physician to determine what health practices are best for you, as the pandemic not only challenged us physically but mentally too.  It is important to care for one’s mental health, especially for our youth and senior populations too.”  

The City of Springfield Department of Health and Human Services (SDHHS) will continue the partnership with AMR to offer vaccinations in neighborhoods with low vaccination rates. In addition, SDHHS will continue home test kit distribution on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the SDHHS office at 311 State Street.

Daily COVID-19 testing will remain open at the Eastfield Mall through Friday, March 31. 

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Page last updated:  Tuesday, March 1, 2022 01:32 pm