Cristin McCarthy Vahey

On a typical Friday evening, we’d be winding down from a week at work or school, getting ready to go out with friends or perhaps headed to one of our amazing Fairfield restaurants. Though we are home tonight, we will eventually get back to a time when we are again doing all of those things. In the meantime, I want to thank you for continuing to stay home and adhering to the guidelines our Governor and local officials have given us to help stop the spread of this virus. I do hope that you can enjoy some time to relax, recharge and take care of yourselves this weekend. We will get through this together. #StayHome #StaySafe #SaveLives

COVID-19 Testing

Connecticut's first rapid COVID-19 testing center is now open at the former Gateway Community College parking lot in New Haven. The test is free for any Connecticut resident with COVID-19 related symptoms and risk factors as defined by CDC guidelines.

The testing site will use the Abbott ID NOW COVID-19 rapid-response test. Abbott claims it can show positive results for COVID-19 in approximately five minutes and negative results in less than 15 minutes. Patients will REMAIN IN THEIR VEHICLES for the test then drive to the Jordan’s Furniture parking to wait for the results.

If you are interested in receiving a test, you must make an appointment. Tests can be scheduled up to two days in advance. To register, click here.

Click here for more information.

Fairfield County Developments

Earlier today, the Women's Business Development Council hosted a virtual Town Hall with Governor Ned Lamont and Stamford Health President & CEO Kathleen Silard to discuss COVID-19 updates and developments. One of those developments was Stamford Health expects to have rapid antibody testing available within the week.

Watch the Full Virtual Town Hall

Tax Extensions

To provide relief to Connecticut taxpayers during the COVID-19 outbreak, the Connecticut Department of Revenue Services has extending the filing and payment deadlines of certain returns until July 15, 2020. These extensions align Connecticut tax filing and payment dates with filing and payment extensions recently announced by the Internal Revenue Service.

Earlier this week, the Fairfield RTM voted in accordance with the Governor’s Executive Order 7S related to property tax payment. The approval is a deferment program for taxpayers in Fairfield:

• Any real estate, motor vehicle, personal property or sewer taxes that became due on April 1st will not be considered delinquent if paid by July 1st
• All taxes that become due on July 1st will not be considered delinquent if paid by October 1st

For more information, you can reach out to our tax collector, David Kluczwski by email or by phone at (203) 256-3100

The following Connecticut returns have been extended until July 15, 2020:

NIH Study Looking for Volunteers

Last week, the National Institutes of Health began a new study to try and determine how many adults in the United States contracted COVID-19 without showing any symptoms. In the study of as many as 10,000 volunteers, scientists are looking for patients who have antibodies to the virus that weren't previously tested. The presence of antibodies in the blood indicates a prior infection that went undetected.

To date, reporting of U.S. cases of COVID-19 has mostly relied on molecular tests, or a cotton swab, that determines the presence of the virus in a person’s airways. While these tests rapidly and effectively identify active infection, they do not determine whether a person was previously infected and recovered.

Healthy volunteers over the age of 18 from anywhere in the United States can participate and will be asked to consent to enrollment over the telephone. Individuals with a confirmed history of COVID-19 or current symptoms consistent with COVID-19 are not eligible to participate.

If you are interested in joining this study, contact clinicalstudiesunit@nih.gov.

CT Primary Election Further Rescheduled

Governor Lamont today announced that he is ordering Connecticut’s 2020 presidential primary election to be rescheduled to Tuesday, August 11, 2020, due to the ongoing public health crisis caused by COVID-19.

The state is already scheduled to hold primaries for other federal, state, and local offices on August 11. Moving the presidential primary to this date will enable the presidential primary to appear on the same ballot as those other races.

Governor Lamont will sign an executive order later today authorizing the date to be moved. It will be publicly noticed and published on the governor’s website at that time.