Congratulations to members of the Boothbay community for being proactive in preventing the spread of the coronavirus on our peninsula. As of Aug. 31, the Boothbay Region Health Center has performed 657 COVID-19 tests for area residents and visitors with a two-day turnaround on results. We have had only five positive anti-body tests and no positive swab tests. The positive anti-body tests were all people who had flu-like symptoms early in the spring and had already recovered. Their antibody tests revealed that they had been infected, but their swab tests showed that they were no longer spreading the virus.

The majority of patients we've tested have been asymptomatic. Many are seasonal residents and visitors who wanted to be sure they were safe to be out and around and staying with family and friends. We applaud our year-round, seasonal residents and visitors for caring enough to get tested.

We have been doing COVID-19 testing by appointment for anyone who wanted it, whether or not they had symptoms, since April 2020 in the drive thru alley behind the Health Center in the Meadow Mall. Most of the tests were free to patients because the lab costs were covered by their health insurance or by the CARES act. Many patients chose to make a donation to defray our costs for administering the tests (time, personnel, PPE, etc.), for which we are very grateful.

Dr. Allan “Chip” Teel conducted a webinar with members of the local business and hospitality community on May 5, suggesting that by providing accessible local COVID-19 testing for returning summer residents and vacationers, we could keep our community safe and more open for business. We are grateful that so many visitors have heeded his advice to get tested early and often.

The Boothbay Region Health Center is pleased to be able to continue to provide this convenient local COVID-19 testing right here in town. If you have visitors arriving and would like them to be tested, please have them call us at 633-1075 to make an appointment.