MATTAPOISETT — Cars lined up even before the event started as Mattapoisett distributed Covid-19 tests to residents 55 and older in their vehicles at Center School Saturday, Feb. 12.

“This is a great way to keep our community healthy,’’ said select board member Jodi Baeur, who chatted with residents as they drove by, stopping to collect their test kits. 

Distributions such as Saturday’s event, which ran from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., keep residents “aware of how Covid is very transmittable,’’ she said. “We still have to pay attention to this because it hasn’t gone away yet.’’

By 10 a.m. residents were already waiting in their vehicles, Town Administrator Michael Lorenco said. “That was unexpected,’’ he said of the early turnout.

Barely a half hour into the distribution, the town had gone through a few boxes of the tests, he said. 

But there was little worry of running out, Lourenco noted, since the town has 2,000 boxes worth of kits to hand out.

Drivers remained in their vehicles as town employees and officials distributed one kit per resident. Each kit contains two tests.

Plymouth County provided Mattapoisett with a supply of at-home COVID-19 testing kits. These tests were purchased by the County with Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Program funding.

Although this distribution was limited to residents 55 and older, upcoming events will target different demographics, Lorenco said.

The town has “weathered [the pandemic] pretty well,’’ Lorenco said. “We had peaks during the holiday season, but outside of that, there was not that high a case count.’’

He credited this in part to awareness of the senior community, who are especially careful about monitoring their health and taking precautions to reduce the risk of transmission. He also praised the town nurse and Council on Aging for their outreach efforts. 

Town employees volunteered their time on an unseasonably warm Saturday to help give out the kits. 

“I think it’s important for the town to see that we care about the town, and not just what happens at Town Hall,’’ said Kathy Costello, town assessor.

For Katie Desrosiers, operations and projects administrator, the distribution offered a chance to meet residents, since she began working for the town just a few months ago.

Mattapoisett Police Sgt. Scott LeBlanc said he likes “helping out the community.’’

Assistant to town operations Christine Richards participated “to support the town. I’ve lived my whole life in Mattapoisett. I’m very fortunate to live here and work for the town.’’ 

Homebound residents seeking an at-home test kit should call the Public Health Nurse at (508) 758-4118

Residents are also encouraged to order at-home COVID-19 tests from the federal government. Each U.S. household is entitled to free rapid COVID-19 tests, which can be ordered online at COVIDtests.gov.