HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — With the onset of a second wave, and nearly 550 hospital beds being used for COVID-19 patients, is an increase in demand for COVID-19 testing.
“Our drive through testing sites have been seeing upwards of 500-700 more patients a day,” said Dr. Mitchell McClure from Hartford HealthCare.
This is the first week of Hartford HealthCare’s expanded testing site at the Connecticut Convention Center. Wait times fluctuate and have reached up to two hours. The hospital system first saw demand increase in the Eastern part of the state four to six weeks ago.
“Since that time we’re seeing demand everywhere,” Dr. McClure said.
Dr. McClure says his team has hired more than 100 new employees and is still working to keep up with demand across eight drive-through facilities.
“A big piece of the puzzle has been and continues to be testing,” said Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin. “Because the more we can identify who’s getting the virus, the better we can do at containing the virus.
Mayor Bronin has been pushing testing for asymptomatic and symptomatic patients for months. He says it’s even more critical in light of the Thanksgiving holiday.
He said, “There will be small family gatherings, and it’s really important that people test in advance of that and after that. And I think that’s one of the reasons you’ve seen an increase in demand for testing.”
There are about a dozen places where you can get tested here in the Capital City. The city has compiled all of that for you on this webpage.
