Maya McFadden Photos
The effort to convince asymptomatic New Haveners to test for Covid-19 continued Wednesday, with the mayor, governor, and a U.S. senator joining 100 others at a pop-up site on the Green.
Gov. Ned Lamont, Mayor Justin Elicker and U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal all took the Covid test at the pop-up site . (Results are expected in several days.)
Not everyone on line was asymptomatic.
Amoy Kong-Brown (left in above photo) and her husband Phil Brown (right) took the test after Kong-Brown had been having symptoms for weeks. She also has a sister who recently tested positive for Covid. Kong-Brown started with having a sore throat then began to have a loss of appetite, shortness of breath, fever and lost her sense of taste and smell.
Elicker was tested for a second time on Wednesday. “People really need this and want this,” he said.
A number of city employees took advantage of the mobile testing site on the Green as New Haven works toward reopening City Hall, said Elicker.
Blumenthal said New Haven has been conducting the most test in the state. “Capacity is no longer an issue,” said city Health Director Maritza Bond.
After getting swabbed, Blumenthal described the test as “pretty strange and awkward” but said it didn’t hurt.
New Haven has seven testing sites. Officials encouraged residents to visit their local testing site if they don’t have symptoms, as the economy gradually reopens.
“It’s a matter of life and death. This will help not to cause pain and grief for others,” said Blumenthal.
Lamont said he intends to continue working with the city to bring more testing sites into highly affected neighborhoods and areas of New Haven.
Social-justice activist Barbara Fair asked Lamont about the state’s efforts to release individuals in prison facilities.
“Why are prison lives disposable?” she asked. “People are dying and we still don’t have a plan.”
Lamont has yet to help to release high-risk prisoners, Fair said. “You can spin what you want for the media.”
“Any other questions?” Lamont asked.
He also said that his main focus at the moment is to get the public tested, including corrections officers, who otherwise might bring the disease into the prisons.
Currently New Haven tests about 42,000 residents a week. By June 20 officials hope to double that number.
John Lugo from Unidad Latina en Acción (ULA) asked Lamont for his support and assistance with funding undocumented residents throughout the state. “We need real money. After the July 1st rent extension, there will be essential workers facing eviction,” he said. Lamont said the state is working to build up a $1 million fund for undocumented individuals’ emergency needs in the crisis.
Nate Angrick (above), a second-year technical theater Yale student was joined by his roommate on the Green to get tested.
Despite having no symptoms, Angrick decided to get tested before he goes forth with his upcoming travel plans.
“The first nostril was painful but I know it’s something I needed to do,” he said.
The testing site on the Green was open to those with or without insurance.
Emily Holbrook decided to get tested on the Green after self-quarantining for the past two weeks following contact with her brother, who recently tested positive for Covid. “It’s all of our responsibility. You can’t expect things to go back to normal if you aren’t doing your part,” she said.