Gov. Ned Lamont has announced the state will begin to distribute 3 million Covid-19 at-home rapid tests and 6 million N95 masks beginning on Dec. 30 in an effort to stop the new surge in Covid cases.
The first allocation will include the distribution of 500,000 iHealth kits ”“ each containing two tests ”“ and N95 masks that will be designated for the general public. The Connecticut Department of Public Health, Connecticut Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security and Connecticut National Guard will oversee the distribution of the kits, with support from regional and local emergency management teams. The distribution details have not been finalized.
The total cost of the distribution is approximately $18.5 million and will be funded through federal funds.
“Connecticut is currently experiencing another surge in Covid-19 cases that is being driven mostly by the highly transmissible Omicron variant,” Lamont said. “As a result, the demand for tests has outpaced the supply of testing available through our statewide network of about 400 sites.”
Lamont added that the week between Christmas and New Year”™s Day was “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.”
Within Connecticut, the daily test positivity rate for Covid stands at 10.71%, the highest recorded level during the pandemic. Of the 925 patients currently hospitalized with laboratory confirmed Covid, 732 (79.1%) are not fully vaccinated.
