Walsh Expands Testing, Allows Restaurants to Sell Groceries Amid COVID-19 Surge

Uncategorized 2026-07-22 clip6267 · Meeting of July 22, 2026

Boston Mayor Walsh reported 6,958 COVID-19 cases and 232 deaths citywide during an April 2020 press briefing rebroadcast on community access TV, as the city neared what he described as the peak of the outbreak. Walsh announced 1,000 COVID-19 test kits donated by Boston company Origin to enable universal testing of all homeless shelter guests and some staff, with testing set to begin the following Sunday and conclude within 10 days, coordinated by Health Care for the Homeless, the Boston Public Health Commission, St. Francis House, and Pine Street Inn.

The city simultaneously announced a $270,000 grant to nine community health centers for telehealth services and said its 15 active testing sites had seen a 30 percent increase in volume the prior week. Walsh also unveiled a new policy allowing restaurants to sell grocery items including produce, paper products, and meat under strict safety guidelines, crediting the City of Somerville for piloting the approach first. On reopening, Walsh stated plainly: "I don't think that we're gonna be ready to come back for normal business in the city of Boston for quite some time," adding that the city had not yet reached the peak of the surge.

In the full story:

• Note on Context
• Case Numbers and Public Health Situation
• Testing Expansion
• Homeless Population and Shelter Testing
• Restaurant Grocery Sales Policy
• Reopening Timeline
• The complete report — 1,867 words

Source: the Uncategorized 2026-07-22 clip6267 meeting of July 22, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.