FEMA AWARDS NEARLY $2.2 MILLION TO BOSTON PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION FOR COVID-19 TESTING COSTS [https://www.fema.gov/press-release/20220427/fema-awards-nearly-2-2-million-boston-public-health-commission-covid-19] Release Date: abril 26, 2022 BOSTON – The Federal Emergency Management Agency will be sending nearly $2.2 million to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to reimburse the Boston Public Health Commission for the cost of testing residents during the COVID-19 pandemic. The $2,181,415 Public Assistance grant will go to the Boston Public Health Commission for contracting with five health centers to provide community-based coronavirus testing between September and December 2020. As of August 20, 2020 the city had reported over 15,000 confirmed cases and 746 deaths due to COVID-19, and the commission had to continue its regular operations in addition to conducting 53,373 tests in order to reduce the spread of the virus. “FEMA is pleased to be able to assist the Commonwealth of Massachusetts with these costs,” said FEMA Region 1 Regional Administrator Lori Ehrlich. “Providing resources for our partners on the front lines of the pandemic fight is critical to their success, and our success as a nation.” FEMA’s Public Assistance program is an essential source of funding for states and communities recovering from a federally declared disaster or emergency. So far, FEMA has provided more than $947 million in Public Assistance grants to Massachusetts to reimburse the commonwealth for pandemic-related expenses. Additional information about FEMA’s Public Assistance program is available at https://www.fema.gov/public-assistance-local-state-tribal-and-non-profit. To learn more about the COVID-19 response in Massachusetts, please visit https://www.fema.gov/disaster/4496