COVID-19 Alerts

Please visit our COVID vaccine page for current information.

COVID testing is at 195 Canal Street in Malden.

Monday - Friday 8 am - 4 pm

Testing Process and Details:

• COVID testing is for CHA patients only.
• You must have an appointment (see below). 
• If coming by car, please keep your windows rolled up.
• There is no age limit for children. But your child must be able to sit still and tolerate the nose swab inside the vehicle. 
• Please bring a picture ID.
• Tests are provided to everyone, regardless of insurance. If you have insurance, CHA will bill them for the test (you may get a statement from them showing this).

Make an Appointment:

• All CHA patients: Please call your primary care office to make an appointment. 
• Non-CHA patients: Please visit the mass.gov website or call 2-1-1.

Testing Technology:

COVID-19 (SARS-COV-2) viral testing is performed at our in-house CHA Laboratories. Outpatient testing is performed utilizing the nucleic acid amplification (NAAT) testing methods. 

For airline travel and other situations (schools, businesses, etc.) where COVID-19 molecular testing is required, this methodology is compliant with the most recent CDC guidelines (see Most Recent CDC testing guideline for air travelers), CDC (Interim Considerations for Testing for K-12 School Administrators and Public Health Officials) and Department of Transportation (DOT), Department of Homeland Security and Department of Homeland Security guidelines (Runway to Recovery). 

For specific questions or concerns regarding testing, please contact the Chief of Pathology (pathology@challiance.org).

Inpatient COVID testing methodologies include Isothermal nucleic amplification(for urgent decision making only), real time PCR (RT-PCR) and possibly nucleic acid amplification(NAAT) testing methods.

Getting Results:

• CHA patients will get results from your CHA primary care team. Results will also be available in MyChart.
• You may have to wait up to 5 days to get your results. If you have not been contacted, it is because your result is not yet available.

We are glad you are coming to see us!

To protect you, and other patients, please STOP for our screeners when entering any CHA building.

Our safety standards:

• Wear a proper mask. You must be wearing a procedure or surgical mask, cloth mask, or mask without vents or valves. We will give you a procedure or cloth mask to replace any unsafe mask when you arrive. You won't be allowed into a CHA building if you wear a mask with vents, a gaiter or a bandana.
  
  
• Use hand sanitizer when you enter the building.
  
  
• Answer our questions about COVID exposure or symptoms. (Do you have a fever/chills, sore throat, cough, shortness of breath, body ache, headache, or loss of taste or smell?)
  
  
• One visitor is allowed for every in-person provider visit (for COVID-negative patients) at all ambulatory clinics. Additional visitors may be allowed by exception. Please ask your care team about this. 

UPDATED June 2, 2021

For the safety of our patients and staff, CHA has updated its visitor policy. 

For patients who have COVID in the hospitals or ambulatory clinics:

• Visitors are only allowed in special circumstances. Exceptions will be made on a case by case basis. Please ask the care team about this. 
• Special circumstances may include:
• End of life care for hospitalized patients.
• Childbirth (labor, delivery, and postpartum).
• Breastfeeding moms.
• Patients on our child and adolescent psychiatry units.
• Young children and older adults who need a caregiver in our clinics.
• Patients with intellectual, developmental, or physical disabilities or other vulnerable populations identified by DPH in the inpatient or ambulatory setting.

For patients who do not have COVID:

• For in-person clinic visits:
  • Clinic visits (ambulatory areas) - one visitor at a time. 
• Emergency Department - no visitors unless exceptions granted by the clinical team.
• Hospital Units
  • Intensive care units - one visitor at a time.
  • Med/Surg units - 1 vaccinated visitor at a time (will need to show proof of vaccination). Unvaccinated visitors may be allowed for patients in private rooms only.
  • Maternity - 2 visitors at one time, only one may stay overnight.
  • Child and Adolescent Psychiatry - 2 visitors per day, in a room/area that does not contain another patient.
  • Adult and Geriatric Psychiatry - 1 vaccinated visitor for 30 minutes each day, for those patients with extended lengths of stay, in a room/area that does not contain another patient.

In cases when visitors are allowed:

• Visitors under age 18 are allowed by exception only.
• Visitors for med/surg units and adult/geri psychiatry units need to be vaccinated. Visitors need need to present their vaccination card and photo ID to the front desk as proof of vaccination.
• Visitors need to arrange an appointment to visit in the hospital unit.
• Visiting hours are 1:00 pm to 8:00 pm for med/surg units.
• All visitors must wear a mask, maintain physical distancing and have completed screening questions.

Before the visit, whenever possible, visitors will be:

• Screened on the phone with our standard screening questions
• Told about the potential risks of visiting the hospital
• Told about our mask policy
• Told about our physical distancing policy (remain 6 feet from the patient at all times. In a shared room, stay at least 6 feet from the other patient)

Every effort will be made to provide video technology for virtual visits with patients.

CHA has a website called CHA Connect where you can search for local social services.

You can use CHA Connect to find things like housing assistance, food support and much more.

As required by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, CHA attests to continuing to meet specific requirements to reopen or expand services.

Phase 1 Reopening Attestation

Phase 2 Reopening Attestation