COVID-19: Surge Coming, Reporter Falls Ill, Test Result Delays

As of Friday at 5:00m, the State announced in its daily tallies that 77 Greenwich residents had tested positive for COVID-19.

Earlier in the day Greenwich health director Caroline Baisley said the number of Greenwich residents with positive tests was 60, up from 57 on Thursday.

As for the discrepancy, the First Selectman’s office quoted Baisley saying there could be fewer cases than 77 since not all of the positive results may be Greenwich residents.

Per the State, on Friday at 5:00pm Stamford had 76 residents test positive, Norwalk 105, Westport 95, Darien 20.

On the other end of the state, by contrast, the city of New London had just 1; Stonington 1, Groton 1, East Lyme 2, Old Saybrook 4.

Local GFP readers are reporting waiting for test results for up to seven days.

Friday First Selectman Fred Camillo in his daily 4:00pm news conference Friday said in Greenwich there are first responders waiting seven days for test results who want to get back to work.

“They’re out of work. That creates a staffing issue,” Camillo said. “We reached out to the hospital the other day about it. They’re aware of it and they’re trying their best. Unfortunately it’s taking a while.”

“If we had enough kits to test everybody, we’d be through this thing a lot quicker,” he added. “People are not being tested, and the ones who have been tested are waiting. In the meantime they are self-quarantining.”

Governor Lamont also talked about test result delays.

“These are folks I can’t afford to have on the sidelines waiting for a test to see when they can get back to work,” Lamont said, referring to home health workers. “If it takes 3, 4 or 5 days for results of a test, that’s a problem.”

John Craven, a reporter for News Channel 12 Connecticut who lives in Manhattan, said he got the virus a week and a half earlier and that it started with a sore throat followed by a high fever.

“We try to not be the story,” he said on Twitter, adding that he wanted to share his experience. “If I can leave people with anything it’s, ‘Don’t be scared.'”

Craven has been home recovering for more than a week. He Tweeted that he had waited 7 days for his test result.

So some personal news: Today I learned that I caught COVID-19. I first got sick last Wed. I had to beg my doctor for a test & it took a whole 7 days to finally get the results. The GOOD NEWS is I’m much better now, and breathing is back to about 90% ?? pic.twitter.com/wMegrOR07r

— John Craven (@johncraven1) March 26, 2020

My motto is: “We are not the story.” But I shared my experience with #coronavirus so you know what to look out for. Be armed w/ info, not fear. If you have any questions, feel free to @ me or DM and I’ll tell you what I know https://t.co/J3zNPNtdDG

— John Craven (@johncraven1) March 27, 2020

Click here for the Channel 12 story on Craven and his recovery.

On Friday Governor Lamont, whose 15th executive order restricted gatherings to 5 people, required gun sales be by appointment only, and suspended the 10¢ plastic bag tax.

“This is a situation that is changing by the hour. We’ve had a number of executive orders, and I’m sure we’ll have a few more.

On Thursday Lamont requested through FEMA that Connecticut be declared a disaster area.

The state is preparing area hospitals for a surge in COVID-19 cases. A second field hospital is now set up in Danbury with 25 beds, in addition to the one set up on the grounds of Saint Francis Hospital in Hartford earlier this week.

Here in Greenwich, Camillo asked residents to be mindful to dispose of rubber gloves and wipes properly.

“We are experiencing an uptick in litter as shoppers are not throwing those items into the trash,” he said.

Parking Services
Residents are reminded that the Town has suspended enforcement of parking meters, daily parking fees at commuter lots, two-hour timed, and 24-hour parking restrictions. We will continue to enforce all posted No Parking zones and remind drivers to be sure to keep crosswalks and fire hydrants clear.

Note to Restaurants on Electric Grease Traps
If a food establishment shuts down, it must unplug or de-energize all electric grease traps. According to the DPW, failure to unplug or de-energize AGRUs during facility closures can create a potential fire hazard.

Reporting Non-Emergency COVID-19 Activity Concerns
Per the First Selectman’s office, anyone concerned about an activity or an organization not following guidelines issued through COVID-19 related Executive Orders and emergency declarations should call the Greenwich Police Department’s non-emergency phone number at (203) 622-8004.

Anyone experiencing mild symptoms of illness who is not in a high risk group should contact their personal physician rather than call 911. If you have mild symptoms, do not go to the emergency room before contacting your doctor for direction. If you have any serious symptoms, please do not hesitate to call 911. Please save 911 for real emergencies.

Connecticut Children’s School Closure Kit
Connecticut Children’s Medical Center has created a School Closure Kit to help parents homeschool as the COVID-19 outbreak continues. Pediatric experts have created a collection of information about structuring a child’s day, engaging them in learning and helping the whole family stay calm during these tough times.

Also, Greenwich Police prepared a list of children’s activities for parents looking for ways to keep their children entertained.