State Rep. Tony Scott, R-112th, blames Gov. Ned Lamont for the failure to secure free COVID-19 test kits in time for distribution, which was scheduled for this Thursday in Monroe and other Connecticut municipalities.
“In a previous statement on Monday, the governor said that the state would distribute millions of the kits to Connecticut’s municipalities, but offered them no guidance on how the kits should be given out to residents,” Scott said in a statement issued Thursday. “Leaders of those towns, such as Monroe, were left scrambling to coordinate the logistics within only a few days.”
“After having this dropped in their laps by the governor and his staff, Monroe First Selectman Ken Kellogg and his team have been working for days to coordinate the distribution of these tests, which are in short supply,” Scott said. “They are short staffed due to the holidays, yet they have soldiered on because they know that residents need these kits. Now, because the governor and his staff failed to have the equipment in their hands before they announced their distribution, the resources and energy expended by Monroe’s hardworking town employees will have to be replicated due to having to be rescheduled.”
Scott continued, “At a time when people are in dire need of tests due to the recent surge in COVID cases and are confused about how to obtain them, the governor offered them a glimmer of hope, only to rip it away from them and add to the confusion. The governor has blamed this on delays that are outside the state’s control, but it was his own failures that have led to this debacle.”
“Residents will be left at least another day without test kits and others will be more confused about when they can get them,” he said. “I’m advising Monroe’s First Selectman not to arrange the distribution of the test kits, unless the state has actually taken possession of the tests.”
His outrage seems unwarranted; disappointmet would be appropriate. Every part of this process has been roll out dates and locations set and announced before items in hand. Vaccination dates and volunteers were all set up and in place prior to the states having vaccines in their possession. All vials of vaccines were manufactured before it was even FDA approved. This is normal.
It is super unfortunate the tests aren’t on the ground yet, hopefully it gets figured out asap. Residents seem thankful for all the transparency and updates.
Distributing the kits on a ‘first-come, first-served’ basis to cars at Jockey Hollow will be chaos. Do it by appointment, schedule 10 in twenty minute intervals by the front door of Masuk. Easy access in and easy flow out.
And stop politicizing every opportunity you get involving the most serious public health crisis in our lifetimes. Try doing something positive, like wearing a mask and getting vaccinated to protect your family and others. You might also be doing your health and character some good.
If Tony Scott is not part of the solution then he is part of the problem. Is his only job to lament on the problems at the State level or to help find solutions? Proactive would be much better than reactive.
Governor LaMont was told the kits would be here, and our state government did what they could to expedite their distribution without being able to control changes in the shipping schedule.
This article is the first time I’ve heard about Mr. Scott doing anything since taking office, and it’s relegated to this type of complaint.
What are you out there doing for us, sir?