COVID-19 Testing | Fenway Health: Health Care Is A Right, Not A Privilege. COVID-19 Testing – Fenway Health: Health Care Is A Right, Not A Privilege.

COVID-19 Testing

Fenway Health conducts FREE COVID-19 testing on both symptomatic and asymptomatic people (in certain cases). COVID-19 testing is provided to asymptomatic people on the basis of potential high-risk exposures—including attendance at protests and other large gatherings. You do NOT need to be a Fenway Health patient to be tested at our facility.

We have partnered with the Boston Public Health Commission and Boston Public Schools to begin using the McKinley School parking lot behind our 1340 Boylston Street location as a COVID-19 testing site. We have set up a tent in the parking lot and are currently piloting drive-through and walk-through tests.

  • Testing is available Monday–Friday, 8 am–12 pm, by appointment.
  • If you think you need a COVID-19 test, please call the medical appointment line at 617.927.6000 to schedule a telehealth visit to be evaluated by your provider. Fenway is now testing people who have symptoms, are an asymptomatic close contact of someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, have attended protests and other large gatherings, or have an underlying health condition including diabetes, HIV infection, heart disease, or liver disease that puts them at higher risk for severe COVID-19 illness. For a full list of underlying health conditions, visit the CDC web site.
  • If you are not a Fenway patient, but would like to get evaluated for a COVID-19 test, please call 617.927.6000.
  • If you are seeking testing but cannot get tested at Fenway Health, you can find information on Boston area testing sites on the city’s website here and outside of Boston on the Department of Public Health website here.
General COVID-19 Info

We are now accepting donations of cloth masks!

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COVID-19 TESTING FAQs
  • Call 617.927.6000. You will be contacted within one day with your appointment date/time.
  • Please read this important information you need to know before reporting for your test.
  • This is an outdoor site that tests for COVID 19 only with nasopharyngeal PCR testing
  • This is NOT a medical clinic and unfortunately, no medical evaluations can be performed
  • This is not a walk-in clinic and is by appointment only at this time

Once someone is referred for testing, they will be contacted within 1 day to schedule an appointment date/time with directions to the testing site

  • Please ensure that you are in your car or the car of someone who can safely drive you to the appointment. If you are having symptoms, please do not take public transportation or ride apps.
  • Please remember this PCR test is a nasopharyngeal swab and can be uncomfortable
  • Please wear a mask or face covering
  • Please bring tissues with you
  • Please bring a form of government issued identification with you
  • If you have a drive-through appointment please arrive at the testing location using the 42 Kilmarnock Street entrance, please ensure that you are in your car or the car of someone who can safely drive you to the appointment. If you are having symptoms, please do not take public transportation or ride apps.
  • If you have a walk-through appointment or are arriving on bicycle, please report to the walk-through testing entrance located at 83 Peterborough Street entrance. If you are having symptoms, please do not take public transportation or ride apps.
  • On the day of your appointment, report to The McKinley School parking lot. The McKinley School is at the corner of Peterborough and Kilmarnock Streets in the Fenway neighborhood. If traveling by car, the parking lot is accessible from Kilmarnock Street. If arriving by foot or by bicycle, please enter from the Peterborough Street entrance.
  • Once you are tested, your results should be available within 3–5 days and you will be contacted with your results by a member of your health care team
  • You will be provided with a handout for patients and their caregivers when COVID-19 is suspected or confirmed
  • You will be greeted by a Fenway Health staff member who will provide you with an extended length cotton swab. This is a self-swab process, so you will use the swab to collect a specimen from just inside both of your nasal passages.
  • The staff member will review the steps of this process with you and be nearby for any questions.
  • The test itself will last about 30-45 seconds.
  • The test may be a little uncomfortable and may trigger a sneeze response or cause your eyes to water.
  • You can bring tissues with you to the visit and we will have some on site as well.
  • Some bleeding may occur after the test; this is normal. If you are taking any blood thinners, you can still get the test, you will just want to be aware of any abnormal bleeding post swab.

Yes, Please be sure to let us know when we schedule your testing appointment that you will be arriving on foot.

No. To maintain privacy and safety ride shares are not allowed at the testing site.

  • We will call you with results
  • If your testing is negative, this means you likely were not infected with coronavirus
  • This is a new test and there can be small risk of false negative results and thus, if your symptoms persist or worsen please reach out to your primary care team
  • You are still at risk for getting infected with COVID 19 so we advise that you continue to take preventative measures to protect yourself to avoid exposures to coronavirus
  • We will call you with your results
  • A positive test confirms that you have COVID-19 infection and that you were recently infected with Coronavirus
  • Data shows that COVID-19 virus can persist in respiratory tract samples for up to 14 days
  • You should remain on home isolation for
  • 14 days from when your symptoms began AND
  • your fever has been gone for at least 3 days without the use of fever-reducing medications AND
  • your symptoms have gotten better (but may not be completely gone)
  • You should call Fenway Health immediately if you develop a fever >101 °F, difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
  • We are using a Quest PCR Test. This kind of test looks for a current, active infection with the COVID 19 virus.
  • The swab we are using collects a specimen from the front part of the nose, also known as the anterior nares. This means that the swab will go just a short distance into your nose.

A nasal swab test looks for virus particles in an active COVID-19 infection whereas an antibody test looks for antibodies made by your body in response to a COVID-19 exposure or infection.

Watch the videos below to see how COVID-19 testing works at Fenway Health:

Fenway Health: Health Care Is A Right, Not A Privilege.
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