Massachusetts to distribute two million free rapid at-home Covid-19 tests

Gov. Baker announced the program this morning, said the organisation volition commencement with the 102 cities and towns with the highest percentages of mediocre families - who mightiness different person occupation paying for trial kits.

The authorities volition present the kits to the cities and towns, which volition past determine however to administer them to residents. The communities person a full of 3.7 cardinal residents, Baker said.

The kits fto users administer their ain tests and get results wrong 15 minutes. Residents bash not person to study affirmative results to the state. "They person proven to beryllium a precise effectual tool" for radical earlier they stitchery indoors with different people, Baker said.

Health and Human Services Secretary Marylou Sudders said the authorities spent $10 cardinal to bargain the tests, for which it volition question national reimbursement.

Baker added that the authorities is negotiating with trial makers connected a semipermanent woody to merchantability lower-cost location trial kits to cities and towns, perchance starting successful January.

Baker said astir 1.5 cardinal Massachusetts residents person gotten booster shots truthful far. He said everybody who is eligible should get one; determination are nary shortages of the vaccines.

He added that escaped investigating astatine assorted wellness centers and sites stay available.

Baker said determination are nary plans to bring backmost statewide disguise mandate. "We're successful a precise antithetic spot than before," helium said, pointing to each the radical who person been vaccinated and the state's extended testing. Although hospitalization rates person been rising of late, they are inactive acold little than astatine the aforesaid constituent past year, helium said.

He added, "If you're not vaccinated, get vaccinated."