25 Investigates: COVID-19 cases in first responders

BOSTON — First responders do not have the option of working from home and some are being exposed to COVID-19 on a daily basis.

According to the president of the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association, at least 400 police officers statewide are COVID-19 positive - double from the week before. Plus, an additional 49 cases at the Boston Police Department, eight State Troopers have tested positive and the union that represents Mass. firefighters reports 87 cases and 583 firefighters in quarantine.

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Chris Kane is a captain with the Westfield Fire Dept. He recently went back to work after isolating himself at home for two weeks with COVID-19.

“I never had shortness of breath. I never had that dry cough. I had mostly a headache, a migraine for two days and a fever for two days. I went back Thursday. So I was out for two weeks,” said Kane. “I would probably say 75% of the calls we went on, they were either known, COVID patients or suspected COVID patients. So it’s like, you’re on edge as soon as you walk through the door.”

There are two drive-thru testing sites in Mass. for first responders and frontline health care workers. One is at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough and the other is in the parking lot of a CVS on Route 9 in Shrewsbury. Both locations are by appointment only.

The amount of personal protective equipment varies by department. Some first responders Boston 25 News has spoken with call this an invisible enemy.

RESOURCES:

- Massachusetts Coronavirus Information

- Boston Coronavirus Information

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