Storms Force Some COVID-19 Testing Sites To Close, And More Updates On Coronavirus In Connecticut

Last week, cars lined up outside Saint Francis Hospital early in the morning for drive-thru coronavirus testing. Today, heavy winds forced many of these sites to close because they’re operating in tents. 

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I saw a car waiting at the hospital as I drove into work this morning. Then I saw an employee walk up to the car, presumably to tell the driver that there would be no drive-thru testing. Coronavirus can’t change the weather. At least up until this point, there hasn’t been much severe weather, or a freak spring snowstorm.

The testing sites are expected to open back up on Tuesday.

Here’s the latest on the coronavirus in Connecticut...

Topline

• Strong winds shut down mobile drive-thru testing sites across Connecticut
• Death toll in Connecticut doubled from 277 last Tuesday, to 554 on Sunday
• Connecticut Convention Center being converted into a recovery center for people with the disease

By The Numbers

All numbers are as of April 12 at 4 p.m.

• 554 deaths from COVID-19
• 12,035 confirmed cases
  • Fairfield County: 5,534
  • New Haven County: 2,946
  • Hartford County: 1,914
  • Litchfield County: 403
  • Middlesex County: 299
  • Tolland County: 182
  • New London County: 190
  • Windham County: 66
  • Pending address validation: 501
• More than 41,220 people tested

The Latest

• The first selectman of Sharon, Connecticut ispushing back against Gov. Ned Lamont’s plan to establish a “recovery site” there for nursing home residents who test positive for the coronavirus. The governor wants to use facilities in Sharon and Bridgeport to help curb the spread of the disease. Residents of those nursing homes who do not have the disease would be moved. “Moving residents out of their home/care facility is wrong and places these individuals at risk; it disrupts their care; places them in a mindset of confusion, possibly depression,” said Sharon First Selectman Brent Colley in an online post. 
• Like others with autoimmune diseases, some Connecticut residents with conditions like lupus are unable to get their maintenance medication: hydroxychloroquine. It’s the drug that is being researched as a treatment for COVID-19. But officials say there are shortages, caused in part by inappropriate ordering and hoarding of the drug.
• The IRS has started sending stimulus checks to people. Those who filed taxes in the last two years and used direct deposit to get their refunds will receive the stimulus check first. It may take several weeks or months for others to get their money. Individuals who make less than $99,000 a year will receive $1,200. Marketplace has more details about the stimulus payments.

Other Reads On The Coronavirus

• ‘I Cried Multiple Times’: Now Doctors Are the Ones Saying Goodbye - Joseph Goldstein and Benjamin Weiser for The New York Times
• U.S. ‘Perilously Close’ to Meat Shortage After Major Plant Closes Over Coronavirus - Isis Almeida and Matt Day for Bloomberg
• The Pandemic Could Be an Opportunity to Remake Cities - Alex Davies for Wired

Zlatan < Pogba < Arat

I’m over most of the social media challenges (push ups, planking), although I was never into them in the first place.

But I’m all in on this one. Soccer star Paul Pogba challenged Zlatan Ibrahimovic to a trick shot challenge on Instagram.

Zlatan provided his response, which was impressive, but relatively muted for the normally flamboyant Swedish star.

And then Pogba put an end to it with this shot.

At least, I thought Pogba ended it. Then I saw this trick shot from Iranian boy named Arat. Game over.

If you think you can top any of them, let me know on Twitter or send me an email. I expect my inbox to remain empty.

Stay safe. Stay sane. Stay distant.