NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Inconclusive COVID-19 tests on a staff member at Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art led to a rash of rumors over the weekend. 

 

Tracy Moore, deputy director and chief operations and finance officer at the massive museum, said on Monday that a single staff member last week had a test that came back positive and a second one that came back negative. 

 

"We are reacting based on having a positive result," she said. "The person is asymptomatic and feeling fine ... that person is still in the 14-day quarantine."

 

The museum created a contact list based on state Department of Health and U.S. Centers for Disease Control guidelines and began notifying people who may have been in sustained or repeated contact with the individual. Those who have been tested have so far all tested negative. 

 

The museum also released a statement to the museum community and its tenants on Monday explaining the situation.

 

"We did just let our staff and campus tenants at large know this set of facts as well because I know people have been hearing snippets and there's incorrect information and terminology out there," Moore said. "So we're filling in the blanks and it's all with very good, positive news about negative tests."

 

Michael Moore, health director for the city of North Adams, said on Sunday that North Adams has three current positive cases, one reported on Aug. 23 and two reported Saturday. He said he could not share details of those cases other than a count. The city has been averaging one to two positive cases a week. 

 

"Our Public Health Nurse reports all North Adams cases to me once they are confirmed with the state epidemiologic platform," he wrote in an email.

 

Tracy Moore said the museum has been in contact with the city and discussed the situation with Mayor Thomas Bernard. 

 

"[Director] Joe [Thompson] and I are 100 percent confident in our protocols that were in place, and in the steps and procedures and guidelines that we followed in this, you know, concerning but not grave particular incident," she said. 

 

The individual in question had been tested for personal reasons that the deputy director could not divulge for privacy reasons. Employees are not regularly tested but are asked to abide by state guidelines. 

 

In their statement to the museum community, Moore and Thompson wrote that the contact tests were administered within five to seven days of contact with the potential COVID-19 case and that "5-7 days post-contact is the 'sweet spot' for accurate testing." Those still awaiting results should have them in the next couple days and are currently self-isolating. 

 

Mass MoCA has put in restrictions to implement social distancing, including masking policies, extra cleaning, signage and capacity limitations. Moore said attendance is down about 40 to 50 percent but that was not unanticipated during the pandemic and that the feedback they've been receiving by those visiting the museum has been good. 

 

"We're pleased with our visitorship, people are having a great experience and moving safely amongst the galleries, we have timed entry to the James Turrell exhibition which keeps those numbers limited and we're welcoming people there in a safe way," she said. "We're slower, we knew we would be. We prepared for that on all fronts operationally, but we're pleased with the very happy, grateful visitors that are coming our way."

 

In their statement, Moore and Thompson ask those with questions to contact their supervisors and asks "we all be respectful, and not gossip."