Newtown COVID Cases Up By Two As State Positivity, Hospitalizations Climb
Newtown’s tally of coronavirus cases increased by just two in the past seven days and the number of local residents lost to COVID-19 is holding at 45. These somewhat more favorable results come as Connecticut’s positivity rate hovered just under two percent and the number of hospitalizations statewide is mirroring stats from late June, according to the latest update from Governor Ned Lamont’s office.
A September 30 COVID-19 report shows the total COVID-19 cases reported among Connecticut residents is 57,550, including 55,129 laboratory-confirmed and 2,421 probable cases. One hundred four patients were currently hospitalized with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19, and 4,508 COVID-19-associated deaths had been logged by that time.
Fairfield County cases continue to lead the state with 20,225, and 1,422 deaths, and while Hartford County continues to lead the state in coronavirus-related deaths at 1,437, its case load at 14,801 is markedly lower. Rural Windham County is still posting relatively low case numbers at 997, and has only seen 16 related deaths.
The latest count shows Connecticut has completed 1,591,572 COVID-19 tests.
On September 30, Lamont delivered Executive Order No. 9E enacting the following provisions:
Extension of eviction moratorium: Extends the previously issued moratorium on residential evictions through January 1, 2021.
Certain liquor permits extended: Directs the Department of Consumer Protection to extend the expiration date of all café liquor permits that were club permits, nonprofit club permits, or golf country club permits prior to July 1, 2020, to February 9, 2021.
Executive Order No. 9D, signed on September 25, enacts the following provisions:
Extension of prohibition on sale of alcohol by certain permittees without the sale of food: Extends the previously enacted prohibition on the sale of alcohol by certain permittees without the sale of food until at least November 9, 2020.
Extension of contracting flexibility regulated to student privacy data: Extends the provisions of Executive Order No. 7I, Section 5 through January 31, 2021.
Organized Sports Guidelines
That same day, the Department of Public Health (DPH) released comprehensive guidance and recommendations for organized sports, including youth and adult club and private league play. DPH had previously released guidance to scholastic athletic leagues in Connecticut concerning fall sports.
The guidance is intended to guide local health departments, municipalities, and league organizers in assessing the risk of play, and will be revisited later in the fall or early winter as the COVID-19 pandemic progresses. This guidance is based on a risk assessment for COVID-19 conducted by the National Federation of High School Associations, a national organization governing high school athletics.
The guidance includes a description of the risk categories for sports, breaks down the risks of different activity associated with those sports, and makes recommendations for each of those activities.
Access those latest guidelines by visiting:
The regional travel advisory in place in Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York that directs incoming travelers from states with a significant community spread of COVID-19 to self-quarantine for a 14-day period was updated September 29: Colorado has been added to the list of states that meet the metrics to qualify, and Arizona and Virginia have been removed from the list.
The requirement to quarantine applies to any person traveling into Connecticut from a state with a positive case rate higher than 10 per 100,000 residents, or higher than a 10 percent test positivity rate over a seven-day rolling average. It also applies to any person arriving into Connecticut from a country for which the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a Level 3 Travel Health Notice.
The Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) has announced that the agency is extending deadlines again for several expiring credentials. The change impacts credentials that expired between March 10, 2020 through November 30, 2020. Late fees will be waived for qualifying credentials.
Deadlines have been extended for the following DMV transactions:
*All licenses, permits, and identification cards, including commercial driver’s licenses
*Motor vehicle and boat registrations
*Emissions testing and retesting
*Permanent disability placard
Credentials with expiration dates of March 10 through May 31, 2020 will be valid until November 30, 2020, and credentials with expirations dates of June 1 through November 30, 2020 will be valid until December 31, 2020. For questions, updates, or information about recent extensions of previously issued extensions, visit ct.gov/dmv, or call 800-842-8222.
Resources For Isolated
On September 30, the state launched a variety of new resources to support those who need to isolate or self-quarantine due to COVID-19. With nonprofit partners such as United Way 2-1-1 and 4-CT, these programs and services are designed to support individuals in need who are asked to isolate or self-quarantine because of a positive COVID-19 test or potential exposure to the virus.
Ultimately, the services will help slow the spread of COVID-19 by ensuring that those infected or potentially exposed can stay home and avoid workplaces, schools, and gatherings.
Programs and services include:
The Community Resource Coordinator (CRC) program: This public/private partnership draws on the strengths and connections of community-based organizations and leverages state, federal, local and philanthropic contributions. CRCs will be responsible for working hand in hand with the contact tracing team, providers, and service organizations to ensure that individuals have access to food, housing, and income when they need to stay at home. The state has partnered with five regional community-based organizations to run this program, and hire CRCs locally who know their communities — and can ensure individuals get access to what they need quickly.
COVID-19 kits for those who need to monitor their symptoms: COVID-19 kits with needed supplies like thermometers, pulse oximeters, and masks will be available through CRCs for those in need who are asked to self-isolate or quarantine.
Housing support: The state is dedicating $220,000 new dollars each month to short-term hotel options for those who can’t safely self-isolate or quarantine at home.
Expansion of 4-CT Cash Cards: 4-CT allocated a total of $108,170 over the next five months to cash cards that can support the basic expenses of those who may need to miss work due to self-isolation or quarantine, and who may not be eligible for unemployment insurance.
Food assistance: With the support of 2-1-1 and local community teams, CRCs will help connect those in need to local food pantries and delivery services in their community.
“This type of partnership and creative thinking is why Connecticut has been able to flatten the curve and lead the nation in COVID-19 response efforts,” Lamont said. “Throughout this pandemic, we haven’t lost sight of the fact that we need to take care of those who need it most. I want to thank all of the local organizations that have been supporting families with food, housing, and other support throughout this fight.”
“Staying home while you’re waiting for a COVID-19 test result if you feel sick or may have been exposed is incredibly important to slowing the spread of virus, and can save lives,” Acting Public Health Commissioner Dr Deidre Gifford said. “Investing in programs like these is a priority for our state because we know that if our residents have the ability to stay home when they need to, that workplaces will be safer, families will be safer, and it will be safer for all of us to continue the process of reopening our state.”
The state is contracting with one organization in each Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security region to facilitate the Community Resource Coordinator program. The local service organization for Newtown is New Opportunities, Inc.