Whittier Street Health Center: COVID-19 update

Whittier Street Health Center is open for COVID19 testing and care, and non COVID19 Medical and Behavioral Health Services:

• Effective April 13th, 2020, we will be providing testing for COVID19. It will be a walk-up and drive-thru COVID-19 testing, outside our 1290 Tremont Street building, for Whittier and non-Whittier patients. You will need to show proof of identity including date of birth.
• We will accept walk-ins and scheduled patients must be at least 18 years of age. There is no charge to you. The testing hours will be : Monday to Friday from 9 AM to 5 PM and Saturday from 9 AM to 4 PM

In compliance with the CDC guidance AND the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, we recommend testing if you have a:
1. Fever of 100°F or higher
2. Cough
3. Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath

Or if you have any of the following medical conditions?
1. Asthma or chronic lung disease
2. Serious heart condition, such as congestive heart failure
3. Diabetes
4. Diseases or conditions that make it harder to cough
5. Extreme obesity
6. Kidney failure or end stage renal disease
7. Cirrhosis of the liver
8. Conditions that result in a weakened immune system, including cancer treatment
9. Pregnancy

Or
• Do you live in a nursing home or long-term care facility?
• Are you a health care worker, first responder or law enforcement officer?
• Do you live or work in a treatment facility, group home or other group setting?
• Are you a caregiver for either an older person (age 60 or older) or someone who has a weakened immune system?

. Are you asymptomatic and concerned that you may have the virus?

WHITTIER STREET HEALTH CENTER’S MOBILE HEALTH VAN: COVID-19 TESTING:

Please click on the quick link for the testing schedule for our Mobile Health Van

OTHER RESOURCES DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC:

• Whittier is open for all primary care services that cannot be delayed including newborn visits, vaccinations, pre-natal visits, chronic disease management and behavioral health

.Whittier is open for in-person medical sick visits for children and adults.
• Whittier is open for in-person routine medical and behavioral healthcare for children and adults.
• We are also providing telehealth visits for non-urgent medical and behavioral health visits.

• Call your provider or high risk nurse at Whittier if you feel sick, prior to going to a hospital.
  • If you have a health condition, we encourage you to stay in care during this time. This is beneficial to your long-term wellness.
  • Our Food Pantry is open for food distribution to our parents.
  • We have established an Emergency Childcare Center.

CONTACT TRACING:

In conjunction with our new testing initiative, we are working with the MA Community Tracing Collaborative to help accelerate efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19 by scaling up the state’s capacity for contact tracing. Contact tracing, which entails identifying and contacting individuals who may have been exposed to COVID-19 so they can isolate/self-quarantine to prevent further spread, is a time-tested public health intervention that has proven to be an essential tool in bringing infectious disease outbreaks under control.

CDC GUIDELINES ON SLOWING THE SPREAD OF COVID-19: 15 Days to Slow the Spread

1. Listen and follow the directions of your state and local authorities.
2. If you feel sick, stay home. Do not go to work. Contact your medical provider.
3. If your children are sick, keep them at home. Do not send them to school. Contact your medical provider.
4. If someone in your household has tested positive for the coronavirus, keep the entire household at home. Do not go to work. Do not go to school. Contact your medical provider.
5. If you are an older person, stay home and away from other people.
6. If you are a person with a serious underlying health condition that can put you at increased risk (for example, a condition that impairs your lung or heart function or weakens your immune system), stay home and away from other people.
7. Even if you are young, or otherwise healthy, you are at risk and your activities can increase the risk for others. It is critical that you do your part to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
8. Work or engage in schooling from home whenever possible.
9. If you work in a critical infrastructure industry, as defined by the Department of Homeland Security, such as healthcare services and pharmaceutical and food supply, you have a special responsibility to maintain your normal work schedule. You and your employers should follow CDC guidance to protect your health at work.
10. Avoid social gatherings in groups of more than 10 people.
11. Avoid eating or drinking at bars, restaurants, and food courts – use drive-thru, pickup, or delivery options.
12. Avoid discretionary travel, shopping trips, and social visits.
13. Do not visit nursing homes or retirement or long-term care facilities unless to provide critical assistance.
14. Practice good hygiene:
15. Wash your hands, especially after touching any frequently used item or surface.
16. Avoid touching your face.
17. Sneeze or cough into a tissue, or the inside of your elbow.
18. Disinfect frequently used items and surfaces as much as possible.

Visit the CDC’s website

For more information, please call 617 427 1000

Your good health is our number one priority!

Warm regards,
Whittier Street Health Care
Comprehensive.Compassionate.Community