Health & Fitness

Worcester Coronavirus Testing Canceled Due To Arctic Blast

The Mercantile Center COVID-19 testing site typically sees long lines of people who wait outdoors.

Wait times have been as long as two hours at the Mercantile Center COVID-19 testing site in Worcester.
Wait times have been as long as two hours at the Mercantile Center COVID-19 testing site in Worcester. (Patricia Huzar/Patch)

WORCESTER, MA — Worcester's main coronavirus testing site will be closed on Tuesday because of an arctic blast in the forecast.

The testing site at the Mercantile Center has seen a huge increase in visitors in recent weeks, and wait times in the outdoor line can last as long as two hours. The Worcester area will be under a wind chill advisory from 1 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday, with temperatures set to drop as low as minus 20, according to the National Weather Service.

The Mercantile Center site will reopen on Wednesday. The site, which is run by UMass Memorial, expanded testing days from two to four last week. The site will be open 9 a.m. to noon on Wednesday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Thursday.

The site is also open on Fridays, but only for COVID-19 vaccinations and booster shots.