Boston And Mass. General Hospital Partner To Test Asymptomatic City Residents

The city of Boston and Massachusetts General Hospital announced a partnership Sunday to test 1,000 asymptomatic city residents to evaluate community exposure to COVID-19 through antibody testing.

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that nationally 25% of people infected with COVID-19 are asymptomatic, and may not know they are a carrier of the virus, or that they could be infecting others, according to a statement.

"Data from this testing in Boston will provide vital clues into the spread of the virus and will help us develop strategies to slow down or stop this invisible foe," hospital President Dr. Peter Slavin said.

The city is randomly selecting participants in the hard hit neighborhoods of East Boston, Roslindale and Dorchester.

"The more we can expand our testing, the more we can learn how to use our medical resources more efficiently, and how we need to focus our current efforts to contain the virus," Mayor Marty Walsh said.