CONNECTICUT — Gov. Ned Lamont announced that the state will have a rapid response coronavirus testing team for local schools and child care settings to help supplement local testing efforts in the event of a positive case.
The team will be deployed as needed and in consultation with the local health department, Lamont said.
Lamont said the state came up with the rapid response team as a response to some people shared concerns about testing in schools.
State COO Josh Geballe said schools were required to have contingency plans in the event that there were positive cases identified in school and the state’s rapid response team is there to help fill any gaps. In addition, teachers are able to go to any federally qualified health center now for a test.
UConn basketball coaches: Be smart Labor Day weekend
Both the men’s and women’s University of Connecticut basketball coaches reminded students and state residents to be smart while enjoying Labor Day weekend festivities.
“Don’t be complacent… don’t let up, don’t relax, follow the guidelines, be disciplined,” said men’s coach Dan Hurley. “… just remember we are on the same team here.”
People going to a friend’s house should stay vigilant, check to make sure people are wearing masks and that there is enough room to socially distance properly, Hurley said. The more people follow the rules the sooner things can get back to a sense of normalcy, he said.
Women’s head coach Geno Auriemma said news of other large schools having hundreds or more than 1,000 coronavirus cases on campus is concerning, but that Connecticut has been able to avoid it because the majority of students are following the safety guidelines.
“There is a reason we are the best in the country at what we do, both in basketball and in beating this Covid-19,” he said.
“This is one giant game of trust,” he continued. “I have to trust that you are going to do the right thing and then you have to trust me that I’m going to do the right thing. And we all have to understand that we are responsible for each other.”
UConn reported a total of 58 current coronavirus cases among students as of Tuesday. There is a cumulative total of 75 positive cases since mass testing began on Aug. 14. The University of Alabama is one of the hardest-hit colleges with more than 1,300 cumulative cases, according to Forbes. The University of Iowa, University of Kentucky and Arizona State University are all reporting hundreds of cases.
See also: Some CT School Districts Not Allowing "Opt-Out" Students to Play
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