On Monday, December 27, 2021, the State of Connecticut announced that it would release 1 million home COVID-19 tests for public use, and that its municipalities would be responsible for the distribution of those tests to individual users. These tests will be released to municipal governments on Thursday, and N-95 and KN-95 masks may be released to municipalities for distribution on that date or soon thereafter.
The Town of Winchester has been notified that it will receive 1,350 test kits - enough for just under 13% of the population to receive one. It must be noted that not every individual or household can expect to receive a test kit as a result of this distribution, and that the State’s distribution of tests is merely meant to supplement the current supply of tests that are available at over 400 locations across the State.
WINCHESTER'S DISTRIBUTION PLAN
In consultation with our local healthcare providers, the Town of Winchester has determined that the tests will be most effective at saving lives and keeping hospitalization rates if they are predominantly offered to the most at-risk populations. Therefore, the Town of Winchester will be distributing test kits to the following town partners:
-263 test kits will be distributed to residents at the six senior housing facilities that exist within the Town of Winchester.
-250 will be distributed at the food bank at the Salvation Army (716 Main Street, Winsted).
-75 will be distributed at the Open Door Soup Kitchen (160 Main Street, Winsted).
-100 will be distributed to individuals residing at the Winsted YMCA and its staff members (480 Main Street, Winsted).
-200 will be distributed to individuals age 55+ at the Winsted Senior Center (80 Holabird Avenue, Winsted).
-50 will be distributed to children not of school age and staff members at Winsted Area Child Care (185 Prospect Street, Winsted).
These community partners will be responsible for the test kits and will be directed to only distribute them to Winchester/Winsted residents who (1) are a close contact of someone who has COVID-19 or (2) are exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19. Aside from being out of the house to acquire a test, the Town of Winchester recommends to anyone exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 that they stay home until symptoms subside. In cases where symptoms are present and a test is unavailable, please treat the case as if it is COVID-19 to help stop the spread and save lives.
The remaining test kits will be distributed next week, by which time the Town will have a clearer idea of where needs lie, and the State will release more information about when the N-95 and/or KN-95 masks will be released for public distribution. As with all things related to the pandemic, the Town is continuously evaluating public health conditions and will make determinations about further releases to the public on an ongoing basis.
Instructions on how to successfully use the test kits will be included with the test kits when they are distributed by the Town.
If anyone has questions about Winchester’s Distribution Plan, please contact the Town Manager at townmanager@townofwinchester.org or 860-738-6962.
CDC GUIDELINES
Please refer to the CDC guidelines if you have questions about testing positive for COVID-19 or if you were exposed to someone who has COVID-19.
https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2021/s1227-isolation-quarantine-guida...
GOVERNOR'S PRESS RELEASE
For more information about the State’s distribution of tests or plans for future test distributions to schools, please read the Governor’s Press Release dated 12/27/2021.
https://portal.ct.gov/Office-of-the-Governor/News/Press-Releases/2021/12...