STAMFORD, CT – Following Mayor David Martin’s announcement about his goal of testing Stamford’s first responders twice a month, the Mayor released a video demonstrating the new fingerstick “Quick Result” test now available at DOCS Urgent Care in Stamford.
“The best way to slow down this disease is to offer widespread testing to everyone who has been exposed to coronavirus and everyone who has frequent contact with the public — including those who do not show symptoms,” said Mayor David Martin. “We know one of our biggest problems fighting this disease is access to testing. It’s for that reason we have only been able to test individuals who are already sick and showing symptoms of the virus. This new “quick result” fingerstick test allows us to ensure the health and safety of our first responders, caretakers, and volunteers without depleting access to high-in-demand testing kits.”
When a person is infected with COVID-19, their immune system produces antibodies called Immunoglobulin M (IgM) and Immunoglobulin G (IgG) to fight the disease. This new “quick result” test collects a tiny blood sample from a fingerstick to identify if a patient has antibodies from fighting COVID-19. Test results using this method take only 10 to 15 minutes to process.
Last week, Mayor Martin announced the City of Stamford would test all of the City’s first responders (police department, fire department, ambulance services, etc.) – with the goal of continuing testing for Stamford’s first responders twice a month for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic. Testing for first responders is being conducted in partnership with DOCS Urgent Care in Stamford. As additional supplies for this test become available, the City intends to expand testing for people exposed to COVID-19, but are not showing symptoms. Individuals who receive a negative test result will not need to self-isolate or quarantine.
Residents interested in testing should refer to the City of Stamford’s COVID-19 resource page (https://www.stamfordct.gov/covid19) which includes a page dedicated to all available testing sites in Stamford (https://www.stamfordct.gov/public-safety-health-welfare/pages/covid-19-testing-sites). Residents must obtain an appointment with a testing site prior to arriving. Residents who show up without an appointment will not be tested.
