As cold and flu season ramps up in the midst of the pandemic, a lot of us are wondering when to get tested and where to do it quickly and easily. This page includes guidance about when to get tested, what symptoms to look for, and where to get tested locally.
Guidance on when to get tested from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and the Department of Elementary & Secondary Education
Below is the full list of symptoms for which caregivers should monitor their children and adults should monitor themselves:
Unvaccinated individuals and any close contacts of someone suspected to have COVID-19 presenting any of the symptoms on the list below should get tested and follow quarantine response protocols. (Protocols can be found here, page 5.)
Vaccinated individuals who are not close contacts (of someone suspected to have COVID-19) should get tested and follow quarantine response protocols (which can be found here, page 5) if they are experiencing symptoms in bold. These individuals may also seek clinical guidance to assess the need for PCR testing if they have other symptoms on this list.
COVID-19 symptoms list:
• Fever (100.0° Fahrenheit or higher), chills, or shaking chills
• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• New loss of taste or smell
• Muscle aches or body aches
• Cough (not due to other known cause, such as chronic cough)
• Sore throat, when in combination with other symptoms
• Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea when in combination with other symptoms
• Headache when in combination with other symptoms
• Fatigue, when in combination with other symptoms
• Nasal congestion or runny nose (not due to other known causes, such as allergies) when in
combination with other symptoms
Most schools will expect kids with symptoms to be kept home from school for a time, possibly until they have a negative COVID test. Check in with the school nurse or front office about the school protocol.
Find a testing site in your area in Massachusetts
Want to know where to get tested in your local area?
You can search for COVID testing sites in Massachusetts by zip code on the Mass.gov site here.
Testing for people without symptoms or with mild symptoms:
Hours and Info on “Stop the Spread” COVID testing at Greenfield Community College (GCC)
The COVID testing site in Greenfield at GCC is set up primarily for people without symptoms. However, people with mild symptoms can ask to self-administer the test outside. Staff will provide a testing kit in a bucket.
This location has been busier recently as more people choose to get tested. This is good news, because we learn a lot about how things are going when more local testing happens.
Current hours as of October, 2021
Mon and Tues 8AM – 2PM
Wed and Thur Noon – 6PM
Fri 8AM – 1PM
Sat and Sun 9AM – 2PM
How to make an appointment online:
- First, go to https://www.cic-health.com/individuals to schedule an appointment. Choose Greenfield as the testing location and follow instructions for choosing a time. You can set up an appointment for just yourself or for multiple people.
- Then, create a Labpass account at https://labpass.com/en/login. This really speeds things up when you get there because they can’t test you until you have a Labpass account. You will need an email address for each person you create an account for, so if you are setting up Labpass accounts for young children who don’t have email accounts, it’s helpful to create a few extra email accounts first.
What if I can’t set up the appointment or create a Labpass account ahead of time? Can I walk in?
It is very helpful to have a Labpass account before going to the testing site. However, if you have trouble creating an account or scheduling an appointment, you can walk in and one of the staff members will help you!
Testing for people with symptoms
Most local medical providers have onsite testing or can refer you to a testing site nearby. If you have a primary care doctor (or nurse practitioner, PA, etc.), call their office and ask if they can help to set up a test for you within the next 24 hours.
Testing for people with symptoms (from the FRCOG website):
- Medical Providers with onsite testing for their patients include the Community Health Center of Franklin County, Baystate Medical Practices, and Valley Medical Group. If you are a patient at one of these practices and are experiencing symptoms, contact them directly.