Vernon Extends Local Coronavirus Testing To Walk-Ups

VERNON, CT — The town of Vernon and St. Bernard Church have announced a new

partnership that will bring expanded walk-up coronavirus testing to the downtown area of Vernon and "surrounding community."

Beginning May 26, from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m., residents may access testing via a walk-up service. Testing will take place in the church parking lot, located at 25 Saint Bernard Terrace in Vernon. Walk-up testing at Saint Bernard Church will continue every Tuesday until further notice, town officials said. It will take place in addition to the current drive-up testing that takes place every Thursday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the parking lot of the Vernon Senior Center, at 135 Bolton Road.

"We want to make COVID-19 testing accessible and available to every member of our
community," said Vernon Mayor Daniel Champagne. "The Saint Bernard Church
location is unique because we can now offer a walk-up testing option for those who may
not have access to a car, or who use public transportation."

Thje Rv. Rick Ricard, pastor of the Saint Bernard Church, Blessed Sacrament Parish said,
"It is a privilege to partner with the town to provide COVID-19 testing to our community.
We share a common mission to serve others by bringing hope and help to our neighbors
during these difficult times."

Michael Purcaro, Vernon's town administrator and emergency and risk management director, said the testing is part of the town's "local pandemic recovery strategy."

"The town of Vernon continues to provide coordinated responses that engage our residents and create sustainable solutions that benefit the whole community," he said. "Through this faith-based partnership and the other public-private partnerships we have developed, we are collectively meeting the needs of our community and safeguarding public health and welfare."

Testing services will be performed by Priority Urgent Care of Ellington. Pre-screening
is encouraged, and testing will be available to anyone regardless of insurance status or
ability to pay, officials said.

"We at Priority Urgent Care strive to provide high quality and affordable care at all of our
locations. We have been screening and managing patients with COVID-19 for several
weeks," said Dr. Daksh Rampal, the medical director and co-founder of Priority Urgent
Care. "Our communities are going through a tough time and we are available for them
when they need us, 365 days a year. As the country is slowly and carefully re-opening,
reliable testing is the cornerstone of any such plan. This will allow us to test and isolate
people who might infect others, while allowing others to go out and participate in normal
life activities.

"I would like to thank the town of Vernon. They have been a great resource
as we try to expand our services to more and more people who need testing. They have
allowed us to safely and reliably treat our patients while maintaining safety to our staff
and the public. In partnership with the town of Vernon, we have already tested over 200
people. This partnership is a great example of what we must all do together in order to
keep moving forward during these tough times."

For more information, residents may contact Priority Urgent Care at 860-454-0678 or
the Town of Vernon Joint Coordination Center at 860-896-4568.