Emergency Response Providers Tested For Coronavirus In Stamford

STAMFORD, CT — Mayor David Martin announced Tuesday over 300 of Stamford's emergency response providers have now been tested for the new coronavirus. The city began testing all asymptomatic emergency response providers last week, city officials said.

Those tested included members of Stamford's police and fire departments, as well as emergency medical services, 911 communications and department of health nurses at testing sites.

"One of the very best ways to stop the spread of this virus is to identify individuals who are spreading it without showing symptoms," Martin said in a statement. "Our emergency response providers are on the frontlines fighting against this virus and it is our responsibility as a city to ensure they remain healthy — both for their safety, the safety of their families, and for the safety of the public."

Emergency response providers were given nasopharyngeal tests ("nasal swab") provided by DOCS Urgent Care and Murphy Medical Associates. Test results were provided within 48 hours after being processed by one of the city's lab partners: Quest Diagnostics and Sema4 Labs.

Out of the 320 tests conducted as of Monday, 206 tests results have been returned. According to city officials, six people have tested positive for the virus, also referred to as COVID-19, while 200 have tested negative.

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Testing is continuing for the remainder of this week as the city awaits results on an additional 114 tests given to emergency response providers so far this week. Emergency response providers who tested positive are quarantined to reduce exposure of the virus to others, officials said.

Emergency response providers who tested negative will be tested again within a few weeks, even if they continue to be asymptomatic, officials said.

As more testing capacity become available, the city intends to expand its asymptomatic testing program to essential workers at nursing homes and senior living facilities, officials said.

See also: Stamford Mayor, NAACP Branch President Deliver Masks To Families

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COVID-19 is caused by a member of the coronavirus family that's a close cousin to the SARS and MERS viruses that have caused outbreaks in the past.