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The plan announced on Monday, Dec. 27, is an effort to help curb the spread of COVID-19 during the heavy travel and holiday season, Lamont said.
The first allocation will include the distribution of 500,000 iHealth kits – each containing two tests for a total of one million tests – that will be designated for the general public.
The distribution of these kits is scheduled to begin on Thursday, Dec. 30, and is expected to run through the following week.
The initiative also will include the distribution of N95 masks. State officials stress that details of the distribution of the kits and N95 masks are still being finalized and are subject to change this week.
In addition to those designated for the general public, the state has purchased another one million iHealth kits – each containing two tests for a total of two million tests – that will be distributed to K-12 schools statewide.
Distribution of those kits, which will also include a supply of N95 masks, will begin in January and continue through the school year as supplies last.
The total cost of the three million tests is approximately $18.5 million and will be covered 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.
"The week between Christmas and New Year’s Day is 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.”
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