Shelton Postpones Covid Test Kit Giveaway; Derby's Set For Friday

SHELTON & DERBY, CT — The distribution of free coronavirus test kits in Shelton was postponed Thursday, because the state's shipment of kits has not yet arrived, according to officials.

As of Thursday afternoon, Derby's planned distribution event was still scheduled for Friday at Derby High School, but that event could be postponed if the shipment of kits does not arrive.

A makeup date for the Shelton event has not yet been determined.

The postponement is due to a hold up in the shipping process, according to Gov. Ned Lamont.

"Due to shipping and warehouse delays outside of the State of Connecticut's control, our state's anticipated shipment of COVID-19 at-home rapid tests are currently delayed from arriving in Connecticut," Lamont said in a statement Wednesday evening. "My staff and multiple state agencies have spent the past several days working around the clock to accelerate the movement of our tests through what is clearly a shipping and distribution bottleneck on the West Coast amid unprecedented international demand for tests."

Both cities are slated to receive a limited number of free test kits, as part of the state's expected 3 million kits from the federal government.