Thomas Breen Photo
Sunday’s protest outside the police station.
City Health Director Maritza Bond Wednesday urged New Haveners involved in recent anti-police-misconduct rallies to get tested for Covid-19.
Experts nationwide have raised alarms about a fresh wave of Covid-19 cases potentially spreading from the past week of protests sparked by the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd. A New Haven rally this past week drew 1,000 people who marched onto I‑95 and occupied the highway, hundreds of whom later spent hours protesting in front of the police station.
Bond, speaking Wednesday afternoon at an Elicker administration online press briefing, also urged people involved in protests to ensure masks cover not just their mouths, but their noses.
“While I agree racial injustice should not be tolerable and is not acceptable, I do want to encourage our peaceful protesters to please consider being tested,” said Bond (pictured above second from left at the briefing).
“You’re not social distancing as it is. I encourage you to please, number one, wear a mask,” and then make sure it covers the nose, which “is an entryway to being infected,” Bond said.
At the press conference officials announced an expansion of testing, including pop-up sites at McConaughy Terrace in West Hills, Lincoln-Basett School in Newhallville, and Bella Vista. The schedule appears above.
Sam Gurwitt Photo
Elicker amid protesters and cops Sunday night.
Mayor Justin Elicker was asked how he is making personal decisions about protecting against contracting or spreading the coronavirus. He appeared in the midst of a tightly-packed crowd outside the police station at Sunday night’s protest. Tuesday night he met indoors with 20 activists at the Citywide Youth Coalition office at Chapel and Temple streets.
Elicker said he’s trying to strike a balance between two pressing needs: public health and public discourse.
“It’s very very important right now to listen and have dialogue. I’m game to do that, and will continue to be game to do that. I plan on showing up Friday and doing the same” at a planned protest on the Green, Elicker said.
“We all bear responsbility for not spreading the virus. I’ve made clear over the last three months that that’s a life and death question for many.
“We all bear responsibility for addressing police brutality. I’m making the decisions on how to interact with people, trying to strike that right balance of supporting what is an urgency around expressing outrage in many different ways; and also trying to keep our community safe from Covid. I don’t really have a good answer. I’m not sure I have a clear philosophy. I’m trying to model good behavior.”
Schools Superintendent Ilene Tracey said at the briefing that students and parents will have a chance to voice their concerns about racial discriination and bigotry at an upcoming forum.
“We stand with the protesters. We ought to be angry about what has taken place and also to acknowledge that it’s been over 400 years of challenges going on in this way,” Tracey said.
I was at the protest on Sunday and got tested the next day. Glad to see the NHI continuing to promote public health.
Some clinics require you to fill out forms before you get tested. I know this is the case for the Day Street site run by Murphy Associates. This article would be more helpful if it linked to those forms. They can all be found here: https://www.greenwichdocs.com/contents/forms