Connecticut State Department of Public Health

Beginning on Sept. 25, every U.S. household can again place an order to receive four more free COVID-19 rapid tests delivered to their home by visiting COVIDTests.gov. Additionally, before you discard any “expired” test kits you have, please check here to see if the expiration dates of your COVID-19 tests have been extended.

Connecticut Epidemiologist Newsletter   •   January 2022   •   Volume 42, No.1

Fast Track Initiative 

Since 2017, the State Public Health Laboratory(SPHL) has conducted testing for carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE), carbapenem resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB), and a subset of carbapenem resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (CRPA) isolates submitted by clinical laboratories. Under the new SPHL Fast Track Initiative for difficult-to-treat infections, all CRAB isolates, and reportable CRE isolates found to harbor a non-KPC carbapenemase (NDM, Oxa48, IMP or VIM) (or those CRE isolates that have strong clinical indicators that this is likely) will be eligible for on-demand testing services, including facilitation courier services and testing performed 7 days per week. Isolates received before noon will receive carbapenemase testing on the day of receipt, followed by antimicrobial susceptibility testing the following day. All isolates not eligible for Fast Track will be processed via the Standard Pathway with testing performed twice per week. 

Questions regarding laboratory testing can be directed to Diane Noel by email diane.noel@ct.gov or phone 860-920-6550 (or 860-716-2705 on weekends and holidays). 


Questions regarding antimicrobial resistance surveillance can be directed to Meghan Maloney, meghan.maloney@ct.gov or phone 860-840-1867.

                                                                                                                             This page last updated 02/10/2021.