BRISTOL – State positivity rates are falling, said Connecticut Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz outside the Genesys Diagnostics covid-19 testing center across from Bristol City Hall Wednesday, but it’s still important to check oneself if you are experiencing symptoms of sickness.
According to Bristol-Burlington Health District Emergency Preparedness Coordinator Alexis Steele, Bristol’s positivity rate measures around 6%.
Bysiewicz thanked Mayor Jeff Caggiano for the continued support of the testing site’s location, one of similar other mass testing sites across Connecticut with state government support. Caggiano thanked the state for its delivery of home testing kits a few weeks ago when testing sites across the state were slammed and at times a few hundred vehicles deep, trying to keep up with testing demand. He also thanked the state for its lending of National Guard members to support continued testing efforts.
“One of the things we have found that keeps people safe is making sure we have very robust testing,” said the lieutenant governor. “It’s one of the pillars to fighting covid. That’s testing, masking and, of course, vaccinating, The good news is that our testing positivity is showing a downward trajectory. We saw yesterday 8.68%.”
Bysiewicz reminded others it had been around 20% a few weeks ago. She and Caggiano noted it was nice to not see the lines that had been hammering testing sites. She encouraged residents if they were not feeling well or having sore throat, cough, fever or had been exposed to others with covid to get tested. She noted that the majority of individuals the state was seeing die from the disease had not been vaccinated.
She continued by saying testing was important to keep one’s neighbors and loved ones safe and if one had not received a vaccine within five or six months it was time to consider a booster.
“PCR testing is required for a lot of people to get back to work,” said Caggiano.
Caggiano also said that at home test kits were helpful. If one tests positive they are most likely positive, but they can have a false positivity rate of around 15%.
The state has provided over 3.5 million at-home test kits across the state, said Bysiewicz, and encouraged those in need to contact their local health district.
Steele said the health district delivers at-home tests or vaccinations to vulnerable populations such as those who may not have access to vehicles.
The Bristol testing site has taken over 7,000 specimens as of August 2021.
Genesys Diagnostics Offsite Operations Manager Aaron Williams said getting testing operations up and running had been “an experience.”
“We had our hurdles and we had a lot of help along the way to cross those hurdles. I’m glad that it seems like we’re coming out of a rough patch and our numbers are going down,” he said. “We’re still out here trying to support the community with accurate and timely testing.”
State Representative Whitt Betts of the 78th District said this was the way government should be working for its citizens at the local, state and federal level.
“More importantly, from what we just heard, helping people who have no ability to go out and get the test. They often are overlooked and often forgotten,” said Betts.
Betts said he was pleased that those options existed to those in need. He also lauded communication efforts to continue to make residents aware of testing and vaccination sites.
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