COVID-19 Testing Fills Immediately at New Canaan’s Lapham Center

With Thanksgiving approaching and the rate of COVID-19 infections increasing across the country, the town of New Canaan and the Waveny LifeCare Network offered free COVID-19 testing starting Monday, November 23rd and continuing through Wednesday, November 25th at the Lapham Community Center.

The response was overwhelming. As of Monday afternoon, every testing spot had been filled. Previous testing dates in the community had also received a similar response.

New Canaan First Selectman Kevin Monnihan indicated plans to announce more testing dates after Thanksgiving as the town attempts to give residents more access to testing, especially as college students start returning to the community.

The state of Connecticut and federal health officials have recommended that all college students get tested for COVID-19 before returning home for the Thanksgiving holiday. Some colleges will not have students return to campus after Thanksgiving, with students completing the remaining fall semester via online classes.

The Center for Disease Control health recommendations also sought to have college students quarantine for 14 days before leaving campus, or quarantine for 14 days after getting home, although it remains to be seen how closely those guidelines will be followed.

Any increase in available testing will give more New Canaan residents the opportunity to be tested, even if it’s simply for a person’s piece of mind.