Governor Lamont Provides Update on Connecticut’s Coronavirus Response Efforts

(HARTFORD, CT) – As the State of Connecticut continues taking actions in response to the global spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), Governor Ned Lamont provided the following updates as of 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 7, 2020:

Data updates on testing in Connecticut

The following is a summary of the day-to-day newly reported data on cases, deaths, and tests in Connecticut. It is important to note that these newly reported updates include data that occurred over the last several days to a week. All data in this report are preliminary, and data for previous dates will be updated as new reports are received and data errors are corrected.

County-by-county breakdown:

For several additional graphs and tables containing more data, including a list of cases in every municipality, visit ct.gov/coronavirus.

Updated list of nursing homes and assisted living facilities with residents who have tested positive for COVID-19

The following documents are updated lists of every nursing home and assisted living facility in Connecticut with residents who have tested positive for COVID-19, along with corresponding data regarding the number of related fatalities among residents in each facility. The data was reported to the state by each of the nursing homes and assisted living facilities. These lists are updated on a weekly basis.

Governor Lamont signs 38^th executive order to mitigate the spread of COVID-19

Governor Lamont today signed another executive order – the 38^th since he enacted the emergency declarations – that builds upon his efforts to encourage mitigation strategies that slow down transmission of the virus. Executive Order No. 7KK enacts the following provisions:

1. Pharmacists are permitted to order and administer Food and Drug Administration approved tests for COVID-19: Authorizes pharmacists to order and administer COVID-19 tests.

Governor Lamont outlines criteria for Phase 1 of reopening

During his daily news briefing this afternoon, Governor Lamont announced that his administration is utilizing seven criteria in its consideration for Phase 1 of Connecticut’s reopening efforts:

Self-employed residents seeking aid can now apply for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance

The Connecticut Department of Labor today announced that it has made active the filing site so those who are self-employed can complete the necessary filing applications for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA). Those seeking to apply should visit www.filectui.com and locate the red button labeled with the PUA designation. The site will accept applications from self-employed individuals, including independent contractors and “gig” workers who have already applied through the state unemployment system and have received a determination notice in the mail.

To date, more than 38,000 self-employed individuals have completed the first step of the federally-required two-step process. The first step, which requires individuals to file an application on the state unemployment system, generates a determination notice that is sent by applications via mail. The notice, also known as a UC-58, notifies those eligible to file as a self-employed person that wage data is not available and disqualifies them for state benefits. Under guidelines set by the federal government, this two-step process ensures accurate accounting and integrity measures.

Because self-employed individuals already applied through the state unemployment system, the newly-built PUA site will have a record of a person’s state benefit ineligibility status. The PUA system requires applicants to create an account with a unique password and ID. The secure site also collects the applicant’s name, birthdate, and social security number, in addition to wage information.

Applicants will also be asked the date when COVID-19 impacted their employment. Federal guidelines allow this to go back to February 2, 2020. If an unemployed status goes back to retroactive weeks, the system requires applicants to provide weekly earnings through the current week filing.

For more information on how to apply for benefits under the PUA system, read the press release issued today by the Connecticut Department of Labor.

Governor Lamont encourages residents to sign up for the state’s CTAlert notification system

Governor Lamont is encouraging Connecticut residents to sign up for CTAlert, the state’s emergency alert system, which provides text message notifications to users. To subscribe, text the keyword COVIDCT to 888-777.

Providing information to Connecticut residents

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 visit ct.gov/coronavirus.

Individuals who have general questions that are not answered on the website can also call 2-1-1 for assistance. The hotline is available 24 hours a day and has multilingual assistance and TDD/TTY access. It intended to be used by individuals who are not experiencing symptoms but may have general questions related to COVID-19. Anyone experiencing symptoms is strongly urged to contact their medical provider.