UPDATED: This report was updated March 23 at 8:50 pm to add new information about the Governor's ordered extended school closings and further postponement of the Legislative session.

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The first Connecticut Department of Corrections officer to test positive for the spreading novel coronavirus was identified Monday as working in Newtown at the Garner Corrections Facility. At the same time, Newtown First Selectman Dan Rosenthal is taking steps to ensure Newtown's municipal workforce is available to fortify Human Services functions, if demand requires it.

He and Health District Director Donna Culbert briefed the community on the latest local developments in a new video outreach message produced in partnership with The Newtown Bee.

CLICK HERE to view the latest video.

According to a release from the State Department of Corrections, the Garner employee has been self-monitoring at home since Wednesday, March 18. The individual, whose name is being withheld due to HIPAA regulations, received confirmation of the positive test results Monday, March 23.

The affected individual last entered the Garner Correctional Institution on Tuesday, March 17. The DOC’s healthcare administration will work in close collaboration with the State’s Department of Public Health to ensure all proper protocols are being followed, and to make sure staff are informed of any new developments.

Rosenthal reacted to the news saying he is being updated by the warden "as necessary."

"I was briefed by the Warden this afternoon," the first selectman said Monday. "Thankfully the guard is convalescing at home and is doing well. I'm confident after speaking with the Warden that Garner is taking the right steps to limit access to the facility and mitigate spread among the guard and inmate population."

Effective Monday, procedures at the Garner facility are as follows: prior to being allowed to enter a Department of Correction facility, individuals will have to successfully pass a wellness screening (including a temperature check).

An individual with a fever of 100.4 degrees or greater will not be allowed access into the facility. To date no other staff member or offender at the Garner Correctional Institution has shown symptoms associated with the COVID-19 virus.

In the latest video message, Rosenthal talks about how he is working to keep town staffers as safe as possible while continuing to provide necessary taxpayer services including preparing some workers to pivot to supporting the Human Services Department if demand there begins to surge.

Culbert reiterated a number of advisory points mirrored in a public announcement from her office last weekend. She is especially concerned residents who may have one or more COVID-19 cases in their home maintain advised separation and that disinfecting protocols are being followed as best they can.

State COVID-19 Update

As of March 23, a total of 415 laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been reported among Connecticut residents, and have been reported in all eight Connecticut counties. Fifty-four patients were or are hospitalized, and ten residents have died (six in Fairfield County, two in Hartford County, and two in Tolland County).

The latest report at 10 am Monday showed 270 of those positive cases in Fairfield County, where 20 are or were hospitalized.

During his March 23 daily press update, Governor Ned Lamont said he ordered Connecticut’s public schools to remain closed through at least April 20.

CTMirror.org reported that Lamont ordered schools to stay closed an additional three weeks past his original 2-week closure order.

The move is an attempt to avoid the domino effect of schools independently announcing extending their closures past next Tuesday, as the governor initially ordered. The superintendent of Bridgeport announced earlier Monday that he plans to keep schools closed through April 20.

Legislative leaders also announced Monday that the state Capitol and Legislative Office Building will remain closed until at least April 13, which means lawmakers will not resume business before that date.

On Monday, Connecticut Insurance Department Commissioner Andrew Mais told state businesses to be aware of recent IRS guidance on COVID-19 – related employee medical leave and new payroll tax credits. The cost of not just the leave but also of health insurance during the leave will be covered.

“This is very good news for small and medium-sized Connecticut businesses with employees on medical leave caring for themselves or family members,” said Commissioner Mais. “It removes a concern and reduces expenses related to employees on medical leave in the hopes of keeping more workers on the payroll.”

The US Treasury Department, Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and the US Department of Labor (Labor) announced in IR-2020-57 that small and midsize employers can begin taking advantage of two new refundable payroll tax credits, designed to immediately and fully reimburse them, dollar-for-dollar, for the cost of providing Coronavirus-related leave to their employees.

This relief to employees and small and midsize businesses is provided under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (Act). For COVID-19 related reasons, employees receive up to 80 hours of paid sick leave.

*Employers receive 100% reimbursement for paid leave pursuant to the Act.

*Health insurance costs are also included in the credit.

*Employers face no payroll tax liability.

*Self-employed individuals receive an equivalent credit.

*Reimbursement will be quick and easy to obtain.

*An immediate dollar-for-dollar tax offset against payroll taxes will be provided.

*Where a refund is owed, the IRS will send the refund as quickly as possible.

The IRS also noted that eligible employers are entitled to an additional tax credit based on costs to maintain health insurance coverage for the eligible employee during a child care leave period should a child care provider be unavailable due to the Coronavirus.

This credit is equal to two-thirds of the employee’s regular pay, capped at $200 per day or $10,000 in the aggregate. Up to 10 weeks of qualifying leave can be counted towards the child care leave credit, the state insurance official said.

United Way Fund

United Ways across the state of Connecticut are joining forces to respond to the increasingly dire economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. Together, they have created the Connecticut United Ways COVID-19 Response Fund (Fund).

The Fund is working in tandem with other philanthropic efforts being coordinated statewide. It will rapidly deploy financial resources to individuals and families economically affected by the pandemic, including those who are out of work or have reduced work hours.

In the coming days the Fund will identify the priority population who will be eligible for assistance. The Fund is launching with $100,000 in seed money from the Aetna Foundation.

The Fund will be used to help individuals and families that United Way calls ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) - neighbors who already live paycheck to paycheck. Many of them provide crucial services in our community, such as caring for our children and elderly parents, the agency said.

This Fund will allow for flexibility in meeting those needs. To learn more and donate to the Connecticut United Ways COVID-19 Response Fund CLICK HERE.

Donors will have the option to pay a 3.09% credit card processing fee so that 100% of their donation can go directly to those in need. Connecticut United Ways will not charge any administrative fees on donations to the Fund.

NAMI Reaching Out

The Covid-19 outbreak is leaving many feeling anxious, angry, sad, or scared. This may create unique challenges for people living with mental health conditions. The NAMI Connecticut team has been working with their nine affiliates and the volunteers they depend on to provide support groups and education programs to move their programs online.

To serve their community and to reach people who need help and hope at this unprecedented time, NAMI Connecticut has set up three statewide online support groups, referred to as "community support group check-ins."

Their virtual NAMI Young Adult Connection Community check-in meetings are held daily at 3:30 pm, in addition to their other online YACC support groups online because they understand the need for young adults to connect, check in, and talk about what is going on.

With young adults and students who participate in NAMI on campus groups at home, sometimes in other states, these groups are reaching students where they are and attracting new participants as the word about this online program spreads among young people.

The NAMI Connecticut community family support groups for family members, parents, friends, and caregivers of people with mental health conditions, and facilitated by NAMI Connecticut staff members with lived experience who are trained facilitators, are available on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays at 6:30 pm.

On Mondays and Wednesday at 3 pm they are holding virtual NAMI Connection recovery support groups, in addition to the scheduled Recovery Connection groups online, to meet the needs of adults in recovery from mental health conditions who are looking to connect and share their feelings about the impact of the current situation on their mental health issues.

Information about these, and all of their other online support groups is available on their website and is continually being updated as new groups, hosted by affiliates around the state, are added.

Although the start dates for some of their spring Family to Family classes "have been delayed and a few programs in progress have been temporarily interrupted while we move them to online learning," all of these programs will be up and ready to go in the coming week, the agency said in a release.

On April 6 NAMI CT will start their first statewide online Family to Family class. Registration information will be available by CLICKING HERE.

NAMI says people need information about COVID-19, about managing their mental health issues during this time, and need fun, engaging activities they can do at home to help them manage their stress. So the organization is sharing content, including news articles about mental health and COVID-19, important health updates, tips for managing, and activities like virtual museum tours and virtual Netflix parties on their Facebook page.

During this public health crisis the people with mental health conditions and their loved ones need all the support they can - NAMI Connecticut and NAMI Fairfield are reminding those families: "you are NOT alone."

In other local news, the Service Manager for Newtown's Wells Fargo Bank branch notified the newspaper that effective immediately, the lobby is closed and only drive-up service with bankers will be conducted. The ATMs continue to be available, as well.

For the most up-to-date information from the State of Connecticut on COVID-19, including an FAQ and other guidance and resources, residents are encouraged to CLICK HERE.

To review the latest information from Newtown, CLICK HERE

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