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COVID-19/Coronavirus Information

COVID-19 vaccinations at Fenway Health are currently on pause as we await updated guidance from the CDC on the administration of new vaccine formulations that are designed to better protect against current strains of the virus.  We expect that guidance any day now.

We have partnered with the Boston Public Health Commission to provide COVID-19 testing at our facility located at 1340 Boylston Street in Boston. Click here for more information.

COVID-19 Vaccine Information
The FDA has approved the Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson/Janssen COVID-19 vaccines and boosters for use in the fight against COVID-19.

These vaccines and booster doses are highly effective in preventing serious illness from COVID-19.

Please review our COVID-19 Vaccine page for the most up-to-date information regarding the vaccines, booster doses, and more.

As the COVID-19 situation continues to evolve, Fenway Health is monitoring the latest guidance from the Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC), Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH), and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to provide updated information as it becomes available.

Learn the facts about COVID-19 and help stop the spread of misinformation. Visit CDC’s webpages Share the Facts, Stop the Fear and coronavirus.gov.

We’re ready to help:

If you have a medical emergency and need to call 911, notify the dispatch personnel if you have or are being evaluated for COVID-19. If possible, put on a face mask before emergency medical services arrive.

New Patients

Learn more about becoming a Fenway Health patient.

Telehealth

Be seen by a provider from the comfort of your home.

Pharmacy

We offer free shipping on prescriptions.

Stay informed! Here are some additional online resources.

Massachusetts is preparing for the safe, equitable, and effective delivery of an FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccine. The state’s planning is based on guidance from the CDC and the MA COVID-19 Advisory Group.

The FDA has approved the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine with emergency use authorization. The Moderna COVID-19 vaccine is expected to receive emergency use authorization in the upcoming weeks. Fenway Health will follow the strategic statewide COVID 19 vaccine strategy preped by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH).

MDPH will determine which vaccine(s) we receive, when we will receive them, and how much we will be given. We will share more information about this as it becomes available to us. It is important to remember that these are new vaccines that we will learn more about daily. Both vaccines are reported to be 94-95% effective in preventing serious illness from COVID-19 after receiving two doses of the same vaccine at the recommended intervals. We currently do not have data to inform us how long this protection may last.

Important things to note:

  • The vaccine will not be mandatory in Massachusetts nor at Fenway Health.
  • At this time, having a history of COVID infection is not a contraindication to receiving the COVID vaccine.
  • It is unknown at this time if the vaccine is safe for those who are pregnant or breastfeeding and for children below the age of 16.
  • Those vaccinated should continue to:
    • Wear a face mask
    • Practice hand hygiene
    • Socially distance through a significant portion of 2021.
  • Those vaccinated still have the potential to contract COVID-19
  • Despite the vaccine preventing serious illness, there may be a small chance that you can still transmit the virus.
  • The vaccines may help us reach our goal of “herd immunity.” This is when a large portion of the community becomes immune to COVID, whether it be via COVID infection or COVID vaccination, making person to person spread unlikely.

Click here to learn about the approach and when you can expect to get a COVID-19 vaccine.

You should make sure that you and your family’s vaccinations are up to date, including influenza and pneumonia vaccines to help reduce other vaccine-preventable diseases.

Fenway Health provides COVID-19 testing for both symptomatic people and those people with a known COVID-19 contact at our facility located at 1340 Boylston Street in Boston. There is no charge to you, but we will collect insurance information for everyone who is insured at the time of registration. Click here for more information.

Currently, testing is available from 8:00 AM to 11:20 AM Monday–Friday, weather permitting. Expect a turnaround time is 3-5 days for results.

We are unable to test asymptomatic patients at this time, including testing prior to travel or for school/employment routine screening.

We are currently only testing Fenway Health patients. If you would like to become a Fenway patient? You can become one by calling 617.927.6000.

To diagnose a potential COVID-19 case, healthcare professionals may run tests to rule out influenza and other common infections. Not all healthcare facilities are able to test for COVID-19 at this time. The test involves swabbing the nose and throat, taking saliva and mucus samples, and possibly drawing blood.

Looking for testing locations in Boston? The City of Boston has recently published a map of COVID-19 testing locations. Testing is free regardless of insurance or immigration status. Additionally, Gov. Baker recently announced an expansion of free testing sites. Click here to read more.

All sites require you to call ahead for pre-screening and to schedule an appointment. Hours vary between sites.

There are also many hospitals, clinics and drive thru sites across the state that are able to complete testing and all positive results are being reported to the Department of Public Health (DPH). You can find regularly updated information about those sites on Mass.gov.

If you develop any of the following symptoms cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, fever, chills, body aches, diarrhea, loss of smell or taste, and have been in close contact with a person known to have COVID-19, stay home and call your healthcare provider. Older patients and individuals who have severe underlying medical conditions or are immunocompromised should contact their healthcare provider early, even if their illness is mild. Seek care immediately if you have severe symptoms such as persistent pain or pressure in the chest, new confusion, or bluish lips or face. Your doctor will determine if you have signs and symptoms of COVID-19 and whether you should be tested.

Accurate information about COVID and how to best screen for it is rapidly changing.

Although the Quest COVID IgG antibody test is available to Fenway Health, we still don’t know how to best interpret the results. We don’t yet have enough information to know how test results relate to a history of COVID infection, and results may not adequately indicate if you have been infected with COVID, just exposed to COVID, or if you are immune to COVID. Before we give advice on who should be tested, we need to learn more about who it is best for.

As a result, we are not recommending testing for most people. If you have questions, we are happy to schedule a telehealth visit to discuss if this testing is right for you. Please do keep in mind that guidance regarding testing is likely to change in the upcoming weeks and months. Please check our website for updates on testing.

Testing and Home Care:

If you are being tested for COVID-19 (coronavirus), this information will help you take care of yourself, your family and any close contacts while you are waiting for results. If you’d like a PDF of all of the information below, you can access it here.

Test Results:

Results will be available 2-3 days after you are tested. If you have not been contacted, it is because your result is not yet available. If you are a primary care patient at Fenway you will be able to see your results on the Fenway Portal. Text messages are sent out to patients who have negative test results.
You can also create an account with Quest Diagnostics to see your results by going to https://myquest.questdiagnstics.com/web/home and click on “Create Account”

Taking care of yourself:

There is no specific treatment for coronavirus at this time. As with other illnesses, the best thing you can do is rest and make sure you drink enough fluids. If you have fever or pain, use Tylenol (acetaminophen) first. If Tylenol is not working you can also use NSAIDS (ibuprofen, naproxen, or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatories) as long as your doctor has not told you to avoid NSAIDs. You can also take other prescribed medicines unless you have been told not to. Do not take any medicines unless they are prescribed to you.

If you have symptoms, please stay home until your test result comes back. Until you receive your test results, or until your symptoms are completely gone, please follow the advice below:

Your family and close contacts:

People you live with or work with closely are at risk for Coronavirus if you have it. Your household members should stay home for 14 days from your first day of symptoms. They should not go to work or school. If you were at work or elsewhere while you had symptoms, people you were in close contact with (like sharing an office) should stay home for 14 days too.

Billing Questions:

You should not receive a bill for COVID-19 testing but if you do you can resolve the bill by following these steps:

Additional Questions

CDC COVID-19 PRINT RESOURCES

These materials have been developed to support COVID-19 recommendations. All materials are free for download. They may be printed on a standard office printer, or you may use a commercial printer.

What is COVID-19? ​

A novel coronavirus is a new coronavirus that has not been previously identified. The virus causing coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19 (an abbreviation of “coronavirus disease 2019” where “CO” stands for corona, “VI” for virus, and “D” for disease), is not the same as the coronaviruses that commonly circulate among humans and cause mild illness, like the common cold. Patients with COVID-19 will be evaluated and cared for differently than patients with common coronavirus diagnosis.

The virus spreads primarily between people through coughing and/or sneezing within about 6 feet of one another. COVID-19 may live on surfaces for several hours. People may become infected by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their face. This is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads. While there is currently no vaccine, these simple steps can help stop the spread of COVID-19 and other viruses.

Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that can cause symptoms ranging from the common cold to severe respiratory illness. Certain coronaviruses can infect animals, which occasionally spread from animals to humans, such as severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-CoV) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV).

The following symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure:

  • Fever
  • Cough
  • Sore throat
  • Chest tightness
  • Shortness of breath
  • Headache


If you are a Fenway patient, please call us if you need help; only call 911 or EMS if you have:

Fevers over 102 degrees that don’t respond to over the counter fever reducers AND one of the following:

  • Worsening chest pain despite taking over the counter pain medication OR
  • Cough associated with bloody sputum OR
  • Worsening shortness of breath

    If you have a medical emergency and need to call 911, notify the dispatch personnel if you have or are being evaluated for COVID-19. If possible, put on a face mask before emergency medical services arrive.

Older adults and people who have chronic medical conditions may be higher risk for more serious COVID-19 illness and death.

Those potentially at increased risk include:

Click to read more from the US Centers for Disease Control.

Flu and COVID-19 symptoms are similar and both viruses cause respiratory illness.

Why it might be flu: Flu symptoms usually occur more suddenly. Most people with the flu recover in two weeks or less.

Why it might be COVID-19: You are more likely to have COVID-19 if you have respiratory symptoms (dry cough, shortness of breath) AND one of the following is true:

  • You recently traveled to a country (such as China, Iran, Italy, Japan, or South Korea) or an area in the U.S. with community spread of the COVID-19 virus
  • You have been in contact (or were coughed on by) someone who may have COVID-19
  • COVID-19 is known to be in your community

Many people may have difficulty coping with stress, anxiety, and addiction during times of stress. The outbreak of COVID-19 may be a stressful time for many adults and children. Coping with stress will make you, the people you care about, and your community stronger.

The following articles offer some suggestions to help manage COVID-19 associated stress.

Many Alcoholics Anonymous groups have moved to conducting online meetings to support those in recovery. Click here for a list of online AA meetings across the country.

Many Narcotics Anonymous groups have moved to conducting online meetings to support those in recovery. Click here for a list of online NA meetings from around the world.

Self-Management and Recovery Training (SMART) is a global community of mutual-support groups where participants help one another resolve problems with addiction to drugs and alcohol, or to activities such as gambling or over-eating. Click here to find a SMART meeting online.

Many of the classes that were previously offered in fitness facilities, yoga studios, or dojos are now being offered online. Take time to exercise at your favorite facility, or explore meditation and mindfulness. Check the resources below:
  • The American Meditation Institute which offers free Sunday morning meditations classes.
  • Sanvello: Clinically validated techniques for reducing stress and treating anxiety and depression (free premium access during COVID-19 pandemic).
  • Headspace: Two-week free trial for the general public. (Providers with a National Provider Identifier can sign up for free full access.)
  • Calm: Seven-day free trial. A meditation, sleep, and relaxation app that also provides resources specifically for coping with COVID-19 anxiety.
  • Stop, Breathe & Think: Always free, and for kids too.
  • Mindfulness Coach: Mindfulness Coach 2.0 was developed to help veterans, service members, and others learn how to practice mindfulness. The app provides a gradual, self-guided training program designed to help you understand and adopt a simple mindfulness practice.
  • PTSD Coach: Created by VA’s National Center for PTSD and the Department of Defense’s National Center for Telehealth & Technology. This app provides you with education about post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), information about professional care, a self-assessment for PTSD, opportunities to find support, and tools that can help you manage the stresses of daily life with PTSD.
  • PTSD Family Coach: In conjunction with PTSD Coach, the PTSD Family Coach app is for family members of those living with PTSD. The app provides extensive information about PTSD, how to take care of yourself, how to take care of your relationship with your loved one or with children, and how to help your loved one get the treatment they deserve.
Fenway Health’s Transgender Health Program offers gender-affirming, high quality, patient-centered care. This page includes dozens of resources for transgender, non-binary, and gender non-conforming people.

The program is currently hosting regular Zoom support meetings for those in the trans and gender diverse communities whose gender-affirming surgeries have been canceled or postponed due to COVID-19. The first meeting of the group will take place virtually on Thursday 4/16 at 6PM. Contact Elly Humphrey at 617-927-6017 for more information.

Children and teens often take their cues from their parents and other adults around them. Parents and caregivers can help reassure and support their children and other young people by dealing with COVID-19 calmly and confidently.

The CDC offers the following signs to be aware of that your children are having difficulty managing the stress of the situation and some tips for helping them better cope.

Not all children and teens respond to stress in the same way. Some common changes to watch for include:

There are many things you can do to support your child:

The YMCA of Greater Boston is offering childcare for essential workers, including Fenway Health staff. They are currently still open at the following YMCA locations with differing availability depending on the site: These sites are currently scheduled to be open through May 1, but we are hopeful that this will be extended as a result of the Governor’s announcement. You can email emergencycare@ymcaboston.org to find out more and register.

The same recommendations for people at risk should be adhered to by everyone to help protect those who are more vulnerable, such as older adults and people with pre-existing medical conditions.

If you are a caregiver for someone in a long-term care facility, respect their visitation rules, ask about the health of the other residents, and know the plan if there is a COVID-19 outbreak.

If your loved ones live alone, check on them frequently and find out what services your local Area Agency on Aging offers.

We have made changes at our Fenway Health locations to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 and to better keep everyone safe. The below provides an overview and you can download a more comprehensive FAQ document here.


What will be different when I visit a Fenway Health location?

  • Anyone entering one of our buildings will be screened for COVID-19.
  • Staff and visitors at all of our clinical locations will wear masks.
  • We have rearranged furniture and added signage to encourage social distancing.
  • We regularly clean and disinfect all public areas, exam rooms, restrooms, and work spaces.
  • We have created clinical and appointment algorithms to help manage on-site volume and flow.
  • We have adjusted our workflows to help more efficiently move people through our buildings during their appointments.
  • We ask that you try to arrive for your appointment no earlier than ten minutes before it is scheduled. We aim to limit your time spent in waiting areas.

We will continue to offer telehealth appointments and free pharmacy delivery to help minimize your need to travel to access healthcare and services.

Fenway Health conducts COVID-19 testing on both symptomatic and asymptomatic people. Please click here for detailed information.

Accurate information about COVID and how to best screen for it is rapidly changing.

Although the Quest COVID IgG antibody test is available to Fenway Health, we still don’t know how to best interpret the results. We don’t yet have enough information to know how test results relate to a history of COVID infection, and results may not adequately indicate if you have been infected with COVID, just exposed to COVID, or if you are immune to COVID. Before we give advice on who should be tested, we need to learn more about who it is best for.

As a result, we are not recommending testing for most people. If you have questions, we are happy to schedule a telehealth visit to discuss if this testing is right for you. Please do keep in mind that guidance regarding testing is likely to change in the upcoming weeks and months. Please check our website for updates on testing.

Yes. Fenway Health is open to patients in accordance with state public health guidelines.

We are working to maintain high quality health care while best protecting patients and staff from COVID-19.

Online Appointment Scheduling Now Available
As part of our continuing efforts to make it even easier for our patients to access high quality, affirming care, Fenway Health is now offering online appointment scheduling. Our new appointment scheduling system currently allows new and existing patients to schedule medical and optometry appointments in four easy steps. Click here to learn more.

Online Appointment Scheduling Now Available
As part of our continuing efforts to make it even easier for our patients to access high quality, affirming care, Fenway Health is now offering online appointment scheduling. Our new appointment scheduling system currently allows new and existing patients to schedule medical and optometry appointments in four easy steps. Click here to learn more.

You can make appointments for telehealth and onsite care:

Medical & Nursing Departments

  • 1340 Boylston Street (Ansin Building)
    • Monday – Thursday: 8:00 am – 7:00 pm
    • Friday: 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
    • Saturday: 9:00 am – 1:00 pm

If you need to schedule an in-person or telehealth appointment with a medical provider for either a new issue or to follow up regarding an existing condition, please do not hesitate to contact our Appointment Line at 617.927.6000. Whenever possible, please do not walk into the health center to request services. Medical and Behavioral Health telehealth visits may occur outside of these hours.

  • 142 Berkeley Street (Fenway: South End)
    • Monday – Thursday: 8:00 am – 7:00 pm
    • Friday: 8:00 am – 5:00 pm

If you need to schedule an in-person or telehealth appointment with a medical provider for either a new issue or for follow up of an existing condition, please do not hesitate to contact our Appointment Line at 617.247.7555. Whenever possible, please do not walk into the health center to request services.

  • We have also consolidated clinical staff from the Sidney Borum, Jr. Health Center to 1340 Boylston and the South End. Borum patients can continue to call 617.457.8140 to make appointments at one of those locations or for telehealth services.

Medical and Behavioral Health telehealth visits may occur outside of these hours.

If you have any questions about how we can best help care for you, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your medical team or to call our Nursing line at 617.927.6300*.

*after hours, this number is covered by our answering service, which can connect you to Call4Health, a nurse triage service that works directly with our on call physicians to meet your needs.

We continue to work with our partner hospital Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) to ensure that our patients who have respiratory symptoms and need an in-person evaluation can access care through BIDMC’s Ambulatory Respiratory / Cohorted Care Unit (ARCCU), urgent care clinics, or Emergency Department (ED).

Our Medical and Nursing Departments continue to offer telehealth care to patients for most issues.


Our Phase 2 expansion allows us to now schedule in-person appointments for all of the following reasons:

  • Acute illnesses that require an in-person evaluation (examples: skin infections, abdominal pain, vaginal bleeding, STI symptoms)
  • Chronic illnesses that require an in-person evaluation (examples: diabetes, high blood pressure)
  • Adult preventive care that requires an in-person visit (examples: mammograms, pap smears)
  • Pediatric preventive care (examples: well child visits, immunizations)
  • Reproductive health care that requires an in-person visit (examples: long-acting reversible contraception procedures, inseminations, obstetric visits)
  • Procedures aimed at treating progressive conditions that, if deferred, may lead to high risk or significant worsening of a patient’s health (examples: skin biopsies of suspicious lesions, cervical colposcopy, high resolution anoscopy)
  • Continued administration of injectable medications (examples: testosterone or estradiol injections)
  • Any care for patients who cannot utilize telehealth

Yes. Fenway Health is providing telehealth appointments. If you need to schedule an in-person or telehealth appointment with a medical provider for either a new issue or for follow up of an existing condition, please do not hesitate to contact our Appointment Line at 617.927.6000 if you are a patient at our 1340 Boylston Street location or 617.247.7555 if you are a Fenway: South End patient.

We will also be expanding operating hours and staffing in our Medical Department Call Center. If you need to speak with a nurse, please do not hesitate to reach the Call Center by calling 617.927.6300*.

What illnesses can be diagnosed in a telehealth visit?
Your physician may be able to diagnose many of the same issues using telehealth that they can during an in-person visit. This may involve the use of live interactive video or diagnostic images that you would forward to your physician, vital signs, and/or patient data for later review. Speak with patient care staff for more information.

Online Appointment Scheduling Now Available
As part of our continuing efforts to make it even easier for our patients to access high quality, affirming care, Fenway Health is now offering online appointment scheduling. Our new appointment scheduling system currently allows new and existing patients to schedule medical and optometry appointments in four easy steps. Click here to learn more.

Yes. You can call in your prescription/refill, or request refills online, or through our mobile app.

If you generally use the pharmacy at 1340 Boylston Street, call 617.927.6330 – please ask us about how we can deliver or mail your medication to your home or workplace free of charge. Request refills electronically or via the Rx2Go app on your mobile phone.

If you generally use the pharmacy at our Fenway: South End location, call 617.927.6330 – please ask us about how we can deliver or mail your medication to your home or workplace free of charge.

Request refills electronically or via the Rx2Go app on your mobile phone.

Please contact our pharmacy or your prescribing medical provider to inquire about whether or not this option is available for your medication.

1340 Boylston Street (Ansin Building)

  • Monday – Friday 8:30 am – 7:00 pm

Call 617.927.6330 – please ask us about how we can deliver or mail your medication to your home or workplace free of charge.

Request refills electronically or via the Rx2Go app on your mobile phone.

142 Berkeley Street (Fenway: South End)

  • Monday – Thursday 9:00 am – 7:00 pm
  • Friday 9:00 am – 5:00 pm

Call 617.927.6163 – please ask us about how we can deliver or mail your medication to your home or workplace free of charge.

Request refills electronically or via the Rx2Go app on your mobile phone.

Yes. We have recently begun holding public events and have several events scheduled for the the coming months. As a health care organization, we want to remain vigilant in safeguarding the health of our communities. We are continuously monitoring the spread of COVID-19 and are evaluating all public events based on the current situation.

Health insurance carriers are required to provide medically necessary telehealth, testing, counseling, treatment, and vaccination (once it’s developed and available) services related to COVID-19 to all Massachusetts residents without charging copays, coinsurance, or deductibles. 

If you currently have health insurance and have specific questions regarding your health insurance, please contact your provider.

We Believe That Everyone Deserves Access To High-Quality, Affordable Health Care

Has your employment situation recently changed? Are you and your family currently uninsured? If you live in Massachusetts, Fenway Health can help you enroll in Commonwealth Care, MassHealth, and other programs. We can also talk to you about our sliding fee schedule for patients and clients Call us at 617.927.6000 and ask for an appointment with our financial assistance counselors. No one is denied care based on ability to pay.

Massachusetts is preparing for the safe, equitable, and effective delivery of an FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccine. The state’s planning is based on guidance from the CDC and the MA COVID-19 Advisory Group.

The FDA has approved the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine with emergency use authorization. The Moderna COVID-19 vaccine is expected to receive emergency use authorization in the upcoming weeks. Fenway Health will follow the strategic statewide COVID 19 vaccine strategy preped by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH).

MDPH will determine which vaccine(s) we receive, when we will receive them, and how much we will be given. We will share more information about this as it becomes available to us. It is important to remember that these are new vaccines that we will learn more about daily. Both vaccines are reported to be 94-95% effective in preventing serious illness from COVID-19 after receiving two doses of the same vaccine at the recommended intervals. We currently do not have data to inform us how long this protection may last.

Important things to note:

  • The vaccine will not be mandatory in Massachusetts nor at Fenway Health.
  • At this time, having a history of COVID infection is not a contraindication to receiving the COVID vaccine.
  • It is unknown at this time if the vaccine is safe for those who are pregnant or breastfeeding and for children below the age of 16.
  • Those vaccinated should continue to:
    • Wear a face mask
    • Practice hand hygiene
    • Socially distance through a significant portion of 2021.
  • Those vaccinated still have the potential to contract COVID-19
  • Despite the vaccine preventing serious illness, there may be a small chance that you can still transmit the virus.
  • The vaccines may help us reach our goal of “herd immunity.” This is when a large portion of the community becomes immune to COVID, whether it be via COVID infection or COVID vaccination, making person to person spread unlikely.

Click here to learn about the approach and when you can expect to get a COVID-19 vaccine.

You should make sure that you and your family’s vaccinations are up to date, including influenza and pneumonia vaccines to help reduce other vaccine-preventable diseases.

Fenway Health provides COVID-19 testing for both symptomatic people and those people with a known COVID-19 contact at our facility located at 1340 Boylston Street in Boston. There is no charge to you, but we will collect insurance information for everyone who is insured at the time of registration. Click here for more information.

Currently, testing is available from 8:00 AM to 11:20 AM Monday–Friday, weather permitting. Expect a turnaround time is 3-5 days for results.

We are unable to test asymptomatic patients at this time, including testing prior to travel or for school/employment routine screening.

We are currently only testing Fenway Health patients. If you would like to become a Fenway patient? You can become one by calling 617.927.6000.

To diagnose a potential COVID-19 case, healthcare professionals may run tests to rule out influenza and other common infections. Not all healthcare facilities are able to test for COVID-19 at this time. The test involves swabbing the nose and throat, taking saliva and mucus samples, and possibly drawing blood.

Looking for testing locations in Boston? The City of Boston has recently published a map of COVID-19 testing locations. Testing is free regardless of insurance or immigration status. Additionally, Gov. Baker recently announced an expansion of free testing sites. Click here to read more.

All sites require you to call ahead for pre-screening and to schedule an appointment. Hours vary between sites.

There are also many hospitals, clinics and drive thru sites across the state that are able to complete testing and all positive results are being reported to the Department of Public Health (DPH). You can find regularly updated information about those sites on Mass.gov.

If you develop any of the following symptoms cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, fever, chills, body aches, diarrhea, loss of smell or taste, and have been in close contact with a person known to have COVID-19, stay home and call your healthcare provider. Older patients and individuals who have severe underlying medical conditions or are immunocompromised should contact their healthcare provider early, even if their illness is mild. Seek care immediately if you have severe symptoms such as persistent pain or pressure in the chest, new confusion, or bluish lips or face. Your doctor will determine if you have signs and symptoms of COVID-19 and whether you should be tested.

Accurate information about COVID and how to best screen for it is rapidly changing.

Although the Quest COVID IgG antibody test is available to Fenway Health, we still don’t know how to best interpret the results. We don’t yet have enough information to know how test results relate to a history of COVID infection, and results may not adequately indicate if you have been infected with COVID, just exposed to COVID, or if you are immune to COVID. Before we give advice on who should be tested, we need to learn more about who it is best for.

As a result, we are not recommending testing for most people. If you have questions, we are happy to schedule a telehealth visit to discuss if this testing is right for you. Please do keep in mind that guidance regarding testing is likely to change in the upcoming weeks and months. Please check our website for updates on testing.

Testing and Home Care:

If you are being tested for COVID-19 (coronavirus), this information will help you take care of yourself, your family and any close contacts while you are waiting for results. If you’d like a PDF of all of the information below, you can access it here.

Test Results:

Results will be available 2-3 days after you are tested. If you have not been contacted, it is because your result is not yet available. If you are a primary care patient at Fenway you will be able to see your results on the Fenway Portal. Text messages are sent out to patients who have negative test results.
You can also create an account with Quest Diagnostics to see your results by going to https://myquest.questdiagnstics.com/web/home and click on “Create Account”

Taking care of yourself:

There is no specific treatment for coronavirus at this time. As with other illnesses, the best thing you can do is rest and make sure you drink enough fluids. If you have fever or pain, use Tylenol (acetaminophen) first. If Tylenol is not working you can also use NSAIDS (ibuprofen, naproxen, or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatories) as long as your doctor has not told you to avoid NSAIDs. You can also take other prescribed medicines unless you have been told not to. Do not take any medicines unless they are prescribed to you.

If you have symptoms, please stay home until your test result comes back. Until you receive your test results, or until your symptoms are completely gone, please follow the advice below:

Your family and close contacts:

People you live with or work with closely are at risk for Coronavirus if you have it. Your household members should stay home for 14 days from your first day of symptoms. They should not go to work or school. If you were at work or elsewhere while you had symptoms, people you were in close contact with (like sharing an office) should stay home for 14 days too.

Billing Questions:

You should not receive a bill for COVID-19 testing but if you do you can resolve the bill by following these steps:

Additional Questions

CDC COVID-19 PRINT RESOURCES

These materials have been developed to support COVID-19 recommendations. All materials are free for download. They may be printed on a standard office printer, or you may use a commercial printer.

Beginning on August 1, 2020 Gov. Charlie Baker’s travel order went into effect. The order requires that all visitors and Massachusetts residents returning to MA (including students returning to campuses for the fall semester) must fill out a “Massachusetts Travel Form” and quarantine for 14 days unless they are coming from a COVID-19 lower risk state or they can produce a negative COVID-19 test result administered no more than 72 hours prior to arriving in Massachusetts, or they are included in one of the other, limited exemptions. Click here to read more.

 We appreciate your help in keeping our staff and your community safe from COVID 19.

What is COVID-19? ​

A novel coronavirus is a new coronavirus that has not been previously identified. The virus causing coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19 (an abbreviation of “coronavirus disease 2019” where “CO” stands for corona, “VI” for virus, and “D” for disease), is not the same as the coronaviruses that commonly circulate among humans and cause mild illness, like the common cold. Patients with COVID-19 will be evaluated and cared for differently than patients with common coronavirus diagnosis.

The virus spreads primarily between people through coughing and/or sneezing within about 6 feet of one another. COVID-19 may live on surfaces for several hours. People may become infected by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their face. This is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads. While there is currently no vaccine, these simple steps can help stop the spread of COVID-19 and other viruses.

Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that can cause symptoms ranging from the common cold to severe respiratory illness. Certain coronaviruses can infect animals, which occasionally spread from animals to humans, such as severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-CoV) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV).

The following symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure:

  • Fever
  • Cough
  • Sore throat
  • Chest tightness
  • Shortness of breath
  • Headache


If you are a Fenway patient, please call us if you need help; only call 911 or EMS if you have:

Fevers over 102 degrees that don’t respond to over the counter fever reducers AND one of the following:

  • Worsening chest pain despite taking over the counter pain medication OR
  • Cough associated with bloody sputum OR
  • Worsening shortness of breath

    If you have a medical emergency and need to call 911, notify the dispatch personnel if you have or are being evaluated for COVID-19. If possible, put on a face mask before emergency medical services arrive.

Older adults and people who have chronic medical conditions may be higher risk for more serious COVID-19 illness and death.

Those potentially at increased risk include:

Click to read more from the US Centers for Disease Control.

Flu and COVID-19 symptoms are similar and both viruses cause respiratory illness.

Why it might be flu: Flu symptoms usually occur more suddenly. Most people with the flu recover in two weeks or less.

Why it might be COVID-19: You are more likely to have COVID-19 if you have respiratory symptoms (dry cough, shortness of breath) AND one of the following is true:

  • You recently traveled to a country (such as China, Iran, Italy, Japan, or South Korea) or an area in the U.S. with community spread of the COVID-19 virus
  • You have been in contact (or were coughed on by) someone who may have COVID-19
  • COVID-19 is known to be in your community

Many people may have difficulty coping with stress, anxiety, and addiction during times of stress. The outbreak of COVID-19 may be a stressful time for many adults and children. Coping with stress will make you, the people you care about, and your community stronger.

The following articles offer some suggestions to help manage COVID-19 associated stress.

Many Alcoholics Anonymous groups have moved to conducting online meetings to support those in recovery. Click here for a list of online AA meetings across the country.

Many Narcotics Anonymous groups have moved to conducting online meetings to support those in recovery. Click here for a list of online NA meetings from around the world.

Self-Management and Recovery Training (SMART) is a global community of mutual-support groups where participants help one another resolve problems with addiction to drugs and alcohol, or to activities such as gambling or over-eating. Click here to find a SMART meeting online.

Many of the classes that were previously offered in fitness facilities, yoga studios, or dojos are now being offered online. Take time to exercise at your favorite facility, or explore meditation and mindfulness. Check the resources below:
  • The American Meditation Institute which offers free Sunday morning meditations classes.
  • Sanvello: Clinically validated techniques for reducing stress and treating anxiety and depression (free premium access during COVID-19 pandemic).
  • Headspace: Two-week free trial for the general public. (Providers with a National Provider Identifier can sign up for free full access.)
  • Calm: Seven-day free trial. A meditation, sleep, and relaxation app that also provides resources specifically for coping with COVID-19 anxiety.
  • Stop, Breathe & Think: Always free, and for kids too.
  • Mindfulness Coach: Mindfulness Coach 2.0 was developed to help veterans, service members, and others learn how to practice mindfulness. The app provides a gradual, self-guided training program designed to help you understand and adopt a simple mindfulness practice.
  • PTSD Coach: Created by VA’s National Center for PTSD and the Department of Defense’s National Center for Telehealth & Technology. This app provides you with education about post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), information about professional care, a self-assessment for PTSD, opportunities to find support, and tools that can help you manage the stresses of daily life with PTSD.
  • PTSD Family Coach: In conjunction with PTSD Coach, the PTSD Family Coach app is for family members of those living with PTSD. The app provides extensive information about PTSD, how to take care of yourself, how to take care of your relationship with your loved one or with children, and how to help your loved one get the treatment they deserve.
Fenway Health’s Transgender Health Program offers gender-affirming, high quality, patient-centered care. This page includes dozens of resources for transgender, non-binary, and gender non-conforming people.

The program is currently hosting regular Zoom support meetings for those in the trans and gender diverse communities whose gender-affirming surgeries have been canceled or postponed due to COVID-19. The first meeting of the group will take place virtually on Thursday 4/16 at 6PM. Contact Elly Humphrey at 617-927-6017 for more information.

Children and teens often take their cues from their parents and other adults around them. Parents and caregivers can help reassure and support their children and other young people by dealing with COVID-19 calmly and confidently.

The CDC offers the following signs to be aware of that your children are having difficulty managing the stress of the situation and some tips for helping them better cope.

Not all children and teens respond to stress in the same way. Some common changes to watch for include:

There are many things you can do to support your child:

The YMCA of Greater Boston is offering childcare for essential workers, including Fenway Health staff. They are currently still open at the following YMCA locations with differing availability depending on the site: These sites are currently scheduled to be open through May 1, but we are hopeful that this will be extended as a result of the Governor’s announcement. You can email emergencycare@ymcaboston.org to find out more and register.

The same recommendations for people at risk should be adhered to by everyone to help protect those who are more vulnerable, such as older adults and people with pre-existing medical conditions.

If you are a caregiver for someone in a long-term care facility, respect their visitation rules, ask about the health of the other residents, and know the plan if there is a COVID-19 outbreak.

If your loved ones live alone, check on them frequently and find out what services your local Area Agency on Aging offers.

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PATIENTS CURRENTLY ELIGIBLE FOR OUTPATIENT COVID-19 TESTING:

  • Any pregnant person with COVID-19 symptoms
  • Any pregnant person without COVID-19 symptoms but with expectation of delivery within the next 48 hours
  • Any health care worker or first responder with COVID-19 symptoms
  • Any “high risk healthcare” patient with COVID-19 symptoms; “high risk healthcare” means ANY of the following…
  • Patient receiving hemodialysis at a dialysis center
  • Patient receiving drug infusions at a hospital-based practice, or home drug infusions through a visiting nurse agency
  • Patient receiving chemotherapy with a high likelihood of admission to the hospital in the future
  • Patient receiving radiation therapy
  • Patient on an organ or bone marrow transplant list or with a history of a solid organ or bone marrow transplant within the last year
  • Patient with a ventricular assist device
  • Any person without COVID-19 symptoms undergoing “high risk surgery” within the next 48 hours
  • Any person with COVID-19 symptoms living in a congregate setting (nursing home, homeless shelter, group home, dorm)
  • Any person with COVID-19 symptoms living in a densely populated geographic area with known clusters of infection (Chelsea, Dorchester, Brockton)
  • Any person with COVID-19 symptoms with other “high-risk health conditions”, which means ANY of the following…
  • Chronic lung disease (asthma, COPD, emphysema, cystic fibrosis)
  • Diabetes mellitus
  • Heart disease (congenital heart disease, congestive heart failure, history of a heart attack)
  • Hematologic malignancy (leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma)
  • Immunosuppression (due to disease like HIV, or due to immunosuppressing medication)
  • Liver disease (cirrhosis)
  • Chronic kidney disease
  • Age 60+ years

If you meet these criteria, please call us at 617.927.6300 to arrange testing.