Ridgefield Coronavirus: Marconi: 'We Cannot Open Too Soon'

RIDGEFIELD, CT — At his daily livestreamed briefing on all matters related to the new coronavirus, Gov. Ned Lamont introduced First Selectman Rudy Marconi, via a web conferencing feed. Marconi has been recovering from COVID-19 since coming down with the infection in the beginning of April.

Introducing his friend, Lamont said Marconi "got hit, and hit hard" by the COVID-19 virus.

The first selectman first noticed the effects of his infection on Wednesday, Apr. 1, returning from Board of Selectmen meeting, he said. He stayed in bed the next two day and was tested on Saturday, and got positive results on Monday. By Wednesday Marconi said he was "pretty far down the road into the virus" and working with several Ridgefield doctors, who recommended he "get on oxygen" rather than be admitted to the hospital.

"I was on oxygen for eight straight days, 24/7," on a combination of Hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin, as well as Tyenol and vitamins, Marconi said. But the most effective drug from his perspective was Zofran, which mitigated his "most difficult symptom to deal with," nausea.

Marconi made it clear he was in no hurry to see Connecticut reopen for nonessential business until health officials had a better handle on the spread of the contagion. "As a capitalistic society, we want to get back to work, we want money to flow again, but I can't stress enough the importance of how this can impact the health of all our citizens here in Connecticut," Marconi said.

The first selectman urged residents to "work together, continue to social distance, continue to wear the face coverings, and not pressure people to open. "

"We cannot open too soon," Marconi said. "This is a highly contagious serious virus (and) we need to be careful every step we take."