Burlington’s New North End Covid-19 pop-up testing site quickly filled up on Thursday, prompting the state to establish more testing sites across Chittenden County.
At a press conference held outside the Robert Miller Community and Recreation Center Friday afternoon, where the New North End testing was done, Mayor Miro Weinberger said pop-up testing sites will expand in Burlington, Winooski and Williston starting next week.
The increased testing comes as Chittenden County, and the rest of the state, are seeing the highest number of daily Covid-19 positive cases in the pandemic. Over the past two weeks, Chittenden County has recorded 157 positive cases, according to the Department of Health.
“We are encouraging again, people who are in one of these high risk categories, even if they’re asymptomatic, to take advantage of this and get tested,” Weinberger said.
“The high risk category has been: if you have been traveling. Or if you have been, really since Halloween, in a higher risk social setting in a private gathering where you are with people for a period of time from outside of your household,” he said.
The push for more testing also comes at the same time Gov. Phil Scott has ordered restrictive measures with a spike in the number of cases, particularly in Central Vermont. On Friday, he banned multi-family gatherings and ordered bars closed.
The pop-up testing in the New North End was prompted by elevated levels of coronavirus RNA found in one of the city’s wastewater plants that serves the neighborhood. Weinberger said Friday the Covid-19 wastewater detection system is now starting to see higher traces in Burlington’s main plant.
The New North End testing site completed 300 tests, the maximum that was offered. Brian Lowe, Burlington’s chief innovation officer, said the spots filled up quickly. All but six testing spots were left by midnight on Wednesday for testing provided Thursday and Friday.
An additional 150 tests were made available to residents at the Burlington Health District Office, but all of those spots have already been claimed.
Testing will be offered at the Winooski Armory on Monday, the Burlington Health District Office on Tuesday and Friday, the Williston Armory on Wednesday, and the Miller Community Center on Thursday.
Walk-ins may be accepted at some sites set up by the National Guard, but not at any of the locations set up by the Burlington city government. Residents are encouraged to reserve testing spots at the Department of Health’s website. Lowe said test kits will be limited at each site, but he didn’t have an exact number.
The tests won’t be limited to the people who live and work in those communities, like the New North End testing site was, he said.
“Certainly what we want to do with these tests is try and find those individuals who have engaged in group behavior or traveled to identify those who are positive and protect the community better,” Lowe said. “So there is some hierarchy that we’d like to see, but obviously we can’t enforce that.”
Weinberger applauded Scott’s decision to limit social gatherings.
Burlington’s active nightlife scene will no doubt be hit hard by the mandated closures, but Weinberger said he thinks the governor’s decision to impose limitations was the right thing to do.
“I think this is another example of outstanding leadership by the governor and his team,” he said. “I support and welcome the steps they’ve taken today.”
At this point, Weinberger said Burlington is not considering any other restrictions beyond Scott’s mandates.
Weinberger emphasized that Burlington is at a tipping point. He encouraged residents to get tested and follow the state’s guidelines.
“We understand what it takes to avoid infection. That is within our grasp,” Weinberger said.
“The other possibility is we lose control of this thing,” he said. “We overwhelm our ability to test, identify people who have the virus, contact trace, get people isolated in quarantine and box in the virus. That’s what’s hanging in the balance right now.”
