Connecticut Towns Begin Roll-Out Of 3 Million COVID-19 Test Kits

CONNECTICUT — Municipalities throughout the state are scrambling to establish distribution operations to handle the more than 3 million COVID-19 at-home rapid tests and 6 million N95 masks heading their way from Hartford.

The free hand-outs to residents will begin as early as Thursday.

Lamont said Monday that towns and local health departments will receive 500,000 kits by Friday. Each of the iHealth kits contain two tests, totaling a million. The remaining 2 million tests are earmarked for K-12 schools.

The distribution to schools was his number one priority, according to the governor.

"We don't want our economy shutting down, we don't want a lockdown," and keeping the schools open was crucial in both cases, the governor said. The first kits will make their way to Connecticut schools beginning in January.

Demand for testing soared during Christmas week, as residents prepared to travel or visit with friends in close quarters.

"As a result, the demand for tests has outpaced the supply of testing available through our statewide network of about 400 sites. The week between Christmas and New Year’s Day is likely to be a period of high transmission, and we have to get 2022 off to a good start by helping residents identify COVID-19 quickly and take those steps to isolate appropriately to curb any further spread," Lamont said in a statement released from his office on Monday

So far, the governor's predictions have been on the money. The state's daily coronavirus rate broke a pandemic record on Tuesday, soaring to nearly 15 percent. According to the data released by the state Department of Public Health, 963 people in Connecticut hospital beds had tested positive for COVID-19 at the start of this week, up from 834 just seven days earlier. The DPH zipped through about a quarter million tests in the week leading up to Christmas, a run not seen since the spring of 2020.

From Hartford To Your Town

Swift-out-of-the-gate health directors in East Haven, Madison, Wilton, Easton, Westport, West Haven, Cheshire, Stratford, Fairfield, East Windsor, Ellington, West Hartford, and Monroe were among those who have announced plans to distribute test kits this week.

The "pop-up" community sites, usually drive-thru and often in school parking lots, will require proof of residency before they hand over any test kits. They join the current roster of about 400 virus test sites throughout the state. Many of those were overwhelmed last week by the demand. You can check the status of the sites nearest you by calling 2-1-1 or visiting the state's 2-1-1 website.

Leaving less to chance this week, Lamont is calling upon the Connecticut National Guard to assist with the rollout. Nearly 100 soldiers and airmen have been tapped to assist in the logistical operations for the distribution of the tests and N95 masks.

The fresh injection of at-home tests may take the pressure off test sites, but it will play havoc with the state's record-keeping.

"We know that our ... numerator of tests of is not going to be accurate anymore, in terms of the number of self-tests that are done, because they are not going to be included in that," said DPH commissioner Manisha Juthani in a news conference Monday. "I do think that the daily positivity rate is going to be a bit of a skewed number in some ways."

She said health officials do not expect the number will go down "for some time," and is encouraging residents who have symptoms of COVID-19 to "just stay home," regardless of the results of any rapid testing.

"They could have the flu or some other virus," Juthani said. "Just stay home if you don't feel well."

House Republican Leader Vincent Candelora on Monday issued the following statement in response to Lamont's announcement on the distribution of COVID-19 at-home rapid tests:

"I appreciate that the governor has procured these tests, but to make a media announcement like this absent of a concrete plan, particularly as it relates to how they'll be distributed or even used to keep kids out of quarantine and in their classrooms, will certainly see leaders of cities, towns and school districts wanting more. Leaving local officials scrambling to immediately figure out what steps to take from here seems like a catalyst for confusion, and I really hope the governor and his team give a second thought to offering municipalities much firmer guidance than what was vaguely described during his news conference today."

The total cost of the three million tests is approximately $18.5 million and will be paid for through federal funds, as will the Guard activation, Lamont said.