State Sets Up Official Coronavirus Testing Facility In Vernon

Chris Dehnel
Updated ·2 min read

VERNON, CT — State and local Officials Tuesday announced that Connecticut's 26th officially sanctioned coronavirus testing facility is being set up at Center 375 in Vernon.

Vernon Mayor Daniel Champagne and Town Administrator and Emergency Management Director Michael Purcaro said it is an extension of the current testing and vaccine services already provided by the town in a public-private partnership with the Connecticut Department of Public Health, Griffin Hospital, Jackson Laboratory, the North Central District Health Department and the Connecticut National Guard.

The state-funded testing dramatically increases COVID-19 PCR testing available to eastern Connecticut residents, Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz said.

The lieutenant governor presided over the announcement at Center 375, located at at 375 Hartford Turnpike.

Walk-ins are welcome at Center 375, but the quickest way to get a test is by making an appointment, via the town of Vernon’s webpage: https://www.vernon-ct.gov/covid-19/testing

The testing schedule in Vernon is:

  • Mondays, 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

  • Tuesdays, 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

  • Fridays, 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

  • Sundays, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Sunday testing at Rockville High School is discontinued.

The system had been simply overwhelmed, Purcaro said. Bysiewicz said a half-dozen more should open in the near-future and the likely spots are Putnam, and in the New Haven and eastern Connecticut regions.

Griffin Hospital Vice President for Accountable Care Todd Liu said results have been coming in via Jackson within 48 hours of a test with most being obtained sooner. Jackson is contracted by the state and Griffin Hospital has partnered with Jackson for the endeavor.

"We don't want to be in the testing and vaccine business forever, but if this is what the public needs, the government is her to fulfill that need," Purcaro said. He added the state-sanctioned system will be much more efficient and the volume can be more easily handled.


This article originally appeared on the Vernon Patch