Braintree mayor orders weekly employee COVID-19 testing at nursing homes

BRAINTREE, Mass. — For workers at the seven nursing homes or assisted living facilities in Braintree, weekly Covid-19 tests are mandatory.

“If we’re able to catch one case, as we have under the new rule, we can save lives,” said Mayor Charles Kokoros.

Kokoros recently signed an emergency order requiring weekly coronavirus testing for all employees at long-term care, rehabilitation, and assisted living facilities, regardless of what type of work they’re performing. Those employees will not be charged for the tests.

“I do realize that there is a cost to this, but you know, we have to put the cost of human life ahead of this testing,” he said.

The mayor believes they are the only town or city in the Commonwealth with such strict requirements, but he’s confident the new rule will reduce the spread of the virus among the town’s most vulnerable. According to the state department of health, long-term care facilities have accounted for 65% of Covid-19 deaths in Massachusetts, but in Braintree, that number is much higher.

Kokoros said 90% of the town’s 120 Covid-19 deaths have been reported from long-term care facilities.

“Hopefully, this is something that will save many lives and really add piece of mind to anyone that has a family member that now resides in a nursing home or assisted living,” he said.

The order also requires nursing homes to provide dedicated isolation spaces for residents to quarantine and all positive cases must be reported directly to the Braintree Board of Health.

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