Redding Update on January 18, 2022
Where to Get Tested
Western CT State Univ. Westside Campus, 43 Lake Ave. Ext. Danbury M-F 1-7pm Sat/Sun 10am-2pm
Calf Pasture Beach Rd. Norwalk M-F 2-7pm Sat/Sun 9-1pm
Cove Park 1125 Cove Rd. Stamford M-F 2-7pm Sat/Sun 10am-3pm
Yale COVID test sites: Doctor must prescribe test, appointment required here
Hartford HealthCare COVID test sites: Appointment required here
CT Dept of Public Health test site listing here
Where to Get Vaccinated
Saturday January 22 & 29 – COVID Vax Van Clinic – 1-5pm – Redding Community Center for ages 12+. All vaccines and boosters available. No appointment needed.
Availability for COVID-19 vaccinations have opened up considerably at local pharmacies. To set up an appointment go to: https://www.vaccines.gov/
Redding Stats
The COVID-19 numbers have continued to rise throughout Connecticut. The average daily rate of COVID-19 cases per 100,000 population in Redding has gone up in the last four weeks from 30.6 to 143.4, and the positivity rate has increased from 6.9 to 26.1.
Getting fully vaccinated, masking, distancing, and staying home when sick is imperative.
At-Home Test Kit Availability
On January 19, 2022, the public can begin ordering free home-test kits through a new government website here.
Orders will be limited to 4 per residential address. Tests will ship within 7-12 days of ordering (no shipping charge) and the timeline is expected to shorten as the program gets up and running.
People with private insurance will be able to get over-the-counter tests reimbursed when purchased at pharmacies or retailers. There’s a limit of 8 tests a month per individual.
How and When to Use At-Home Test Kits
The CT Department of Public Health website provides videos on how to use each brand of home-test kit along with helpful FAQ information here
The best time to use an at-home COVID test kit is when you have symptoms or when you know you have been exposed to someone with COVID. It is not recommended to use an at-home test just for the sake of testing.
What the Results Mean
A positive at-home test result means the test detected a virus, and you are likely to have an infection. You must stay home and isolate for 5 days, even if you are asymptomatic or your symptoms are resolving. If symptoms persist beyond the 5 days you must continue to stay in isolation until symptoms improve, continue to wear a mask 5 days beyond the 5-day isolation period, and avoid indoor gatherings. It’s vital to inform all close contacts of your positive test results.
A negative test result means that the test did not detect the virus and you may not have an infection, but it does not rule out infection. It has been found that at-home tests can result in false negatives. Repeating the test within a few days, with at least 24-hours between tests, will increase confidence that you are not infected.
Self-test results do not need to be reported to the local health department; however, it cannot be stressed enough that individuals must follow through with informing close contacts of positive findings to prevent the spread.
Dr. Lawrence Leibowitz
Director of Health
Doug Hartline, RS
Redding Health Officer