HARTFORD, Conn. — The city of Hartford gearing up to re-open as the state is headed to its first phase of re-opening.
Mayor Luke Bronin, in a city address, saying a person no longer has to have symptoms in order to get tested for COVID-19 and as the city prepares to re-open Mayor Bronin will be looking to focus groups to tackle the city’s needs going forward.
In his address, testing capabilities for COVID-19 in Hartford is increasing, according to Bronin who says roughly 40-percent of test results are coming back positive.
Experts say this may be an indication, not enough testing is being done, so the city is opening testing to everyone even if you are not showing symptoms or possibly exposed.
“The reason it’s so important to spread that word is that there are hundreds and hundreds of tests going on used every day right now. Hartford Hospital has a capacity to do hundreds of more tests today then being used,” said Bronin.
Mayor Bronin says you don’t have to have insurance to get tested, but as the city prepares to partially re-open another announcement was made.
If you want to make a test appointment, call these numbers:
Hartford Hospital: 860-972-8100
Saint Francis Hospital: 888-786-2790
According to Bronin, Saint Francis hospital will be increasing its testing capacity on Monday.
Charter Oak Health Center will be offering test daily from 8:30 am- 5:00 p.m.
The working groups will tackle what the city needs are in order to re-open and recover.
Bronin says there will be 5-groups in total with around 12 members each lead by community leaders while having the support of staff and city council members.
Mayor Bronin said, “We’re not going to be going back to the old normal anytime soon, I know this virus hasn’t gone anywhere it hasn’t gotten weaker, it hasn’t stop being transmittable, we are not immune to it.”
The 5-groups will be focused on the economy and business, public health, housing and basic needs and much more.
It won’t be a simple task, according to Bronin, but says work is already underway. “The governor announced that on May 20th restaurants can open with outdoor seating. One of the things we’ve begun to do, how can we do that in a way that is safe and effective so making sure we are moving the maximum space outdoors the restaurant can have. That’s something zoning commission and city Council you know that we’ve asked them to look at,” said Bronin
If you want to make a test appointment, call these numbers:
- Hartford Hospital: 860-972-8100
- Saint Francis Hospital: 888-786-2790
- According to Bronin, Saint Francis hospital will be increasing its testing capacity on Monday.
- Charter Oak Health Center will be offering test daily from 8:30 am- 5:00 p.m.
Mayor Bronin and Council President Rosado will serve as ex-officio members of each working group, and each working group will have two City Council representatives. The Hartford Foundation for Public Giving will have representation on each of the working groups.
The working groups are made up of the individuals and organizations below, though some changes are possible:
Public Health – Chaired by Dr. Wizdom Powell, Director of the Health Disparities Institute at UConn Health
Nichelle Mullins, President and CEO, Charter Oak Health Center; Kim Beauregard, President and CEO, InterCommunity; Greg Stanton, CEO, Community Health Services; Sabrina Trocchi, President and CEO, Wheeler Clinic; Sarah Lewis, Vice President of Health Equity, Hartford HealthCare; Dr. Reginald Eadie, President and CEO, Trinity Health Of New England; Paul Dworkin, Executive Vice President for Community Child Health, Connecticut Children’s Medical Center; Chris Wright, President and CEO, iCare; Annette Sanderson, Executive Director, Housing Authority of the City of Hartford; Representative of SEIU 1199; Deborah Chameides, Health Services Coordinator, Hartford Public Schools; Leticia Marulanda, Chief Operating Officer, Hispanic Health Council; Linda Estabrook, Executive Director, Hartford Gay & Lesbian Health Collective; Dr. Galo Rodriguez, President and CEO, The Village for Families and Children; Gina Federico, Director, North Hartford Triple Aim Collaborative and United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut.
Economic Opportunity and Business – Chaired by Max Kothari, CEO, Express Kitchens and Chair, Hartford Chamber of Commerce
State Representative Julio Concepcion, Executive Director, Hartford Chamber of Commerce; Arunan Arulampalam, Deputy Commissioner, State of Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection; David Griggs, President and CEO, MetroHartford Alliance; Jordan Polon, Executive Director, Hartford Business Improvement District; Julio Mendoza, Executive Director, Spanish American Merchants Association; David Robinson, General Counsel, The Hartford Financial Services Group; Alex Johnson, President and CEO, Capital Workforce Partners; Fernando Rosa, President and CEO, HEDCO Inc.; Moraima Gutierrez, Assistant District Director, U.S. Small Business Administration; Herman Todd, Owner, Living Word Imprints; Hugh Russell, Owner, The Russell; Reggie Hales, President of HEZBA; Joe Gianni, Market President for Greater Hartford, Bank of America Corporation.
Arts, Culture, Recreation, and Faith – Chaired by Rich Hollant, Principal, CO:LAB and Chair, City Commission on Cultural Affairs
Cathy Malloy, CEO, Greater Hartford Arts Council; Donna Swarr, City’s Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission; Mike Zaleski, President and CEO, Riverfront Recapture; Mike Freimuth, Executive Director, Capital Region Development Authority; Bishop Jeremiah Torres, House of Restoration Church; Pastor Ronald Holmes, Gethsemane Missionary Baptist Church and President, Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance; Pastor Daylan Greer, Bethel AME Church and Vice President, Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance; Veronica Airey-Wilson, Former City Council Member; Charles Christie, President, Greater Hartford Festival of Jazz; Sammy Vega, President, CICD Puerto Rican Day Parade Committee; David Jimenez, President of the Board, The Hartford Stage Company; Jeff Devereaux, Co-Founder, Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner; Charlie Ortiz, Executive Director, CLARO, Inc.; Leticia Cotto, Customer Experience Officer, Hartford Public Library; Tia Long, Power of CT.
Housing and Basic Needs – Chaired by Lena Rodriguez, President and CEO, Community Renewal Team
Marek Kukulka, CEO, Catholic Charities; Sharon Castelli, President and CEO, Chrysalis Center; Matt Morgan, Executive Director, Journey Home; Pastor AJ Johnson, Urban Hope Refuge Church; Martha Page, Executive Director, Hartford Food System; Yahaira Escribano, Foodshare; Representative from True Colors; Alok Bhatt, Connecticut Immigrant Rights Alliance; Paula Gilberto, President and CEO, United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut; Maxien Robinson-Lewin, President, Greater Hartford Branch of the NAACP; Hector Glynn, Chief Operating Officer, The Village for Families and Children
Children, Youth, and Families – Chaired by Sam Gray, President and CEO, Boys & Girls Clubs of Hartford
Bridget Quinn-Carey, President and CEO, Hartford Public Library; Dr. Leslie Torres-Rodriguez, Superintendent, Hartford Public Schools; Tim Sullivan, Superintendent, CREC Schools; Karen Lott, Executive Director, Women’s League Child Development Center; Ayesha Clarke, Chair of the Hartford Board of Education and Vice President of Operations, COMPASS Youth Collaborative; Harold Sparrow, President and CEO, YMCA of Greater Hartford; Adrienne Cochran, CEO, YWCA Hartford Region; Enid Rey, President and CEO, Our Piece of the Pie; Brian Gallagher, Chair of the City’s Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission; Jackie Santiago, CEO, COMPASS Youth Collaborative; Jim Boucher, Chief Strategy Officer, Capital Workforce Partners; Vicki Gallon-Clark, Executive Director, Blue Hills Civic Association; David Hopkins, President and CEO, Urban League of Greater Hartford; Tia Miller, Owner, Creativista Charm; Yanil Terón, Executive Director, Center for Latino Progress; Paul Holzer, Executive Director, Achieve Hartford!; Hartford Youth Advisory Board Member; Member of Hartford Public Schools’ Student Senate.