Connecticut Guard delivers more than 102,000 test kits

By Staff Sgt. Steven Tucker | 103rd Airlift WingDecember 11, 2020

Connecticut Guard delivers more than 102,000 test kits
Spc. Devin Turchetta, 1048th Medium Truck Company, verifies COVID-19 antigen test kit delivery information with a health center worker at Loomis Chaffee School in Windsor, Connecticut, Dec. 11, 2020. The Connecticut National Guard delivered 102,280 kits to 212 nursing homes in one week in support of a Connecticut Department of Public Health effort to maximize testing availability and efficiency for people living in congregate settings. (Photo Credit: Staff Sgt. Steven Tucker) VIEW ORIGINAL

HARTFORD, Conn. – The Connecticut National Guard delivered 102,280 COVID-19 antigen tests to 212 locations throughout the state this week.

The deliveries added to an ongoing effort to maximize testing availability and efficiency for people living in congregate settings.

“Due to the increased surge in cases in nursing homes across the state, the Department of Public Health wanted to get the antigen tests out to these locations to provide a second source of testing,” said Connecticut National Guard Army Maj. Brian Osowiecki, medical planning and response cell officer in charge.

The antigen tests supplement the regular PCR testing the locations conduct with their care partners, said Osowiecki.

“With this rapid test, it only takes about 30 minutes to get the results versus swabbing and sending the samples to a lab and getting results a day or two later,” said Osowiecki.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency ordered the tests from the manufacturer and delivered them to the Guard’s commodities warehouse, where they were organized for distribution throughout the state.

The Guard’s efforts helped cut expected delivery time for these tests in half, said Osowiecki.

“The Department of Public Health expected deliveries to take two weeks, but we got it done in one,” said Osowiecki.

A team of just eight drivers from the 1048th Medium Truck Company ensured efficient delivery to the 212 locations.

“It goes to show we’re continuing to refine and improve our warehouse operations and distribution plans,” said Osowiecki. “We’ve built efficiency and lessons learned over the last several months that we’ve been doing this mission.”

For more National Guard news

National Guard Facebook

National Guard Twitter

How the National Guard is helping

Photos of the National Guard response

Latest from the CDC