COVID-19 Testing in Salem

testing

Free Rapid At-Home Tests

The City of Salem provides free rapid antigen COVID-19 tests for at-home use. Any Salem resident or individual who works in Salem is eligible to pick up five boxes of tests (two tests per box) per person from the Health Department offices, 98 Washington Street 3rd floor, Mondays-Wednesdays 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Thursdays 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. as long as supplies last. Salem employers or organizations that require a larger number of test kits should contact the Health Department at health@salem.com to make arrangements.

Test kits can also be picked up from the Mayor Jean Levesque Community Life Center, 401 Bridge Street on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Wednesdays and Fridays 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. as long as supplies last.

Individuals with health insurance are able to purchase a limited quantity of qualifying rapid at-home tests and then seek reimbursement from their insurance. For more details please visit https://www.cms.gov/how-to-get-your-at-home-OTC-COVID-19-test-for-free.

You can also request a limited quantity of free rapid at-home test kits from the federal government by visiting https://www.covid.gov/tests.

Curative Testing - This site will close permanently at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday December 31, 2022

Curative has a free walk-up PCR testing site located in Riley Plaza. This is a self-administered COVID test and results are returned in 24-48 hours. The testing trailer is open Mondays-Fridays, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Saturdays 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Walk-up testing is allowed at this location; no appointment is required. If you have health insurance, bring your insurance information with you to the site when go for testing; insurance is not required for testing, however. This site also offers real time PCR testing (self-pay, $135); sign up online at www.curative.com. Real time PCR is only available from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Mondays to Fridays and Saturdays from 9:00 to noon. 

Pharmacy Testing

COVID-19 testing is available at many private pharmacies, including both PCR testing (allow 1-2 days for results) and rapid antigen testing (allow 1-6 hours for results). Costs and proof of insurance vary depending on location; contact the pharmacy for more information. Locations in Salem include multiple CVS pharmacies (https://www.cvs.com/minuteclinic/covid-19-testing), the Walgreens located on Boston Street (https://www.walgreens.com/findcare/covid19/testing?ban=covid_vanity_testing).

Salem State University Testing

If you are an employee or student at Salem State University, you can visit the university's free COVID-19 testing site. Details are available here: https://www.salemstate.edu/covid19testing.

Wastewater Surveillance Testing

The City of Salem, in partnership with Biobot, the South Essex Sewerage District (SESD), and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, conducts regular monitoring of wastewater to identify levels of COVID-19 in the community. The most recent data report for this surveillance testing program, as well as the raw historical data, can be found at www.salemma.gov/covid.