Greater Lawrence Family Health Center celebrated the hard work of its COVID Testing Tent workers and community partners with a small luncheon on April 7.

GLFHC’s Methuen COVID Testing Tent was part of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ Stop the Spread testing campaign which began in 2020. On March 31, the state closed 90% of the locations due to the drop in demand for testing and decrease in number of COVID cases and hospitalizations. In the Merrimack Valley, Lawrence General Hospital’s drive-up testing tent remains open for now.

GLFHC President & CEO, Guy Fish, MD, recognized the hard work of the staff over the pandemic, praising their dedication during extreme cold and hot temperatures. Often, GLFHC’s testing site remained open when other sites closed due to weather and staffing shortages.

Dr. Fish also thanked John Cook, owner of Comfort Home Care, for allowing GLFHC to set up the Testing Tent in his parking lot at 147 Pelham St., Methuen. Cook also gave GLFHC permission to set up a COVID Vaccine Clinic on the second floor of the same property. GLFHC’s Methuen Family Health Center and Family Pharmacy are both located on the first floor of 147 Pelham St.

Sandra Silva, Vice President of Community Support Services & Operations, also had the opportunity to thank her testing staff. At the height of demand for testing – in January, 2022 – the small staff administered more than 1,500 test in a single day. Other GLFHC Testing Tent statistics include:

Total number of tests performed: 84,397

• Peak tests in one day: 1,527
• Towns and cities people traveled from: 36
• Lowest temperature during tent hours: 10 degrees
• Highest temperature during tent hours: 90-plus degrees
• Overall number of positive results: 10,582
• Overall number of negative results: 91,007