Local

Boston to close three COVID-19 vaccination and testing sites

Two sites, at the Bruce C. Bolling Municipal Building in Roxbury and at Boston City Hall, will remain in operation.

A COVID-19 testing site at the Bruce C. Bolling Building in Roxbury. David L. Ryan/Boston Globe

May 1, 2023

The Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) announced Monday that it would be scaling back COVID-19 vaccination and testing site operations throughout the city.

The changes will go into effect May 13. Officials cited “a sustained decline in site utilization and patient volumes” for the decision.

Two sites, at the Bruce C. Bolling Municipal Building in Roxbury and at Boston City Hall, will remain in operation.

However, the sites at the Hyde Park Community Center, the Josephine Fiorentino Community Center, and the Lena Park Community Development Corporation will cease operations on May 13.

Vaccinations, boosters, and take-home testing kits will still be available at City Hall and the Bruce C. Bolling Building. The latter will close temporarily on May 12 and reopen on May 18. When it reopens, the Bolling Building will be open Thursdays through Saturdays from noon to 6 p.m.

“The sustained decline in our COVID-19 metrics is a testament to the protection afforded by the vaccines and boosters,” Commissioner of Public Health and Executive Director of the BPHC Dr. Bisola Ojikutu said in a statement. “Strong immunity against COVID-19 is vital for decreasing hospitalizations and severe illness. I encourage all individuals who are 65-years or older or who are moderately or severely immunocompromised to get the second bivalent booster as recommended.”

The BPHC said it distributed more than 6,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine in 2022.

Officials cited a number of statistics in announcing the changes:

New COVID-19 cases per day decreased by 22% over the past seven days, and by 38% over the past 14 days (data through April 28).
Boston hospitals had a total of 49 new COVID-19 related hospitalizations this past week, which is a 6.2% decrease over the past seven days and a 42% decrease over the past 14 days (data through April 27).
Boston is averaging 140 RNA copies/mL in its wastewater, which is a 68% decrease over the past 14 days (data through April 23).
Seven out the 11 communities tested are below the citywide average (data through April 19).

“The standing site program is proof of how far public health and health care organizations can advance health equity when we break down silos and work together,” The BPHC said in a statement.