State Putting A 'Pause' On Vernon Coronavirus Testing Station

VERNON, CT — Connecticut health officials are putting the Vernon coronavirus testing station on "pause" after Sunday's scheduled clinic because of dwindling demand.

That was the word from town officials Thursday after an exchange of memos between local and state authorities.

The clinic has been operating at Center 375 in Vernon since mid-January. Sunday's hours are 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Just a dozen showed up to the clinic at Center 375 last Sunday, a number that prompted the move, state and local officials said. It can be reactivated at anytime, officials said.

"We have been seeing a steady decline in residents of Vernon and the surround areas at the clinics, due to the increased availability of free home test kids people can get through the federal government or at local pharmacies in addition to the mass distribution on the part of the town of Vernon," town administrator Michael Purcaro told Patch Thursday. "Employers are now making tests available. All these factors have led to a sharp decrease in demand for site testing. We stand ready with Griffin Hospital, Jackson Laboratory and the state DPH to — if needed and hopefully it won't be — ramp things back up."

The partnership announced in mid-January that Connecticut's 26th officially sanctioned coronavirus testing facility was being set up at Center 375.

Vernon Mayor Daniel Champagne and Town Administrator and Emergency Management Director Michael Purcaro said it is an extension of the current testing and vaccine services already provided by the town in a public-private partnership with the Connecticut Department of Public Health, Griffin Hospital, Jackson Laboratory, the North Central District Health Department and the Connecticut National Guard.
The state-funded testing dramatically increases COVID-19 PCR testing available to eastern Connecticut residents, Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz said.