As they try to make the most of their allotment, Connecticut communities are taking widely varied approaches to distributing the state's limited supply of hard-to-find COVID-19 home test kits.
Citing a spike in cases among children, East Hartford has chosen to give the kits to schools, child care centers and other vulnerable communities. As a result, Mayor Mike Walsh says the town is passing, for now, on holding a public distribution event.
"It's terribly important to keep the economy open," says Walsh. "If there's nowhere for your children to go, including child care centers... we understand that the parents have to stay home."
East Hartford received about 3,700 of the kits distributed by the state (which, last week, scrambled to acquire about 426,000 kits), covering about 7.5% of the town population. Figuring that supply won't come close to satisfying demand at a public event, Walsh and his staff decided to give 2,474 kits to school and child care groups. 1,294 are for congregate settings such as nursing homes.
Neighboring Manchester, holding a similar-sized tranche of 4,000 kits, is going with a public distribution, set for Tuesday at 9 am. It will be held at the former Parkade site. N95 masks will also be handed out. Long lines are expected.
Mayor Jay Moran cites high public demand, and laments the limited supply: "I think people are trying to find kits everywhere... In a town of 60,000 people, it's not going to make a huge dent in that. We're hopeful that we're going to get more in the future."
How some other communities are handling kit distribution:
Bristol, with about 3,300 kits, will hold a distribution event starting at 8:30 am Tues. at Firehouse #4 on Vincent P. Kelly Rd. One kit per car.
Guilford will give out kits on Tues. at Salmon Brook Park, starting at 5 pm. The town is asking that "only those with an immediate need" attend. N95 masks will be available. Masks will be also be available at the Municipal Complex, starting at noon Tues.
Hartford is distributing about 9,000 new kits to schools, child care centers, Hartford Housing Authority residents and staff, assisted living facilities, senior centers and city staff members who provide in-person services.
Vernon will distribute about 2,000 kits starting at noon on Tues., at Fox Hill Tower in Henry Park.
West Hartford, holding about 4,725 kits, is giving them to those who are having symptoms of COVID-19, by request. Monday night, the online link to request the kits reported "we have reached our capacity." The town will distribute N95 masks on Tues., from 2 pm to 5 pm, at 100 Mayflower St.
