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 5:00 p.m. on Friday, June 19, 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 and click the link that is labeled, “COVID-19 Data Tracker.”

Updated data on the impact of COVID-19 on nursing homes and assisted living facilities

The following documents contain updated data regarding each of the nursing homes and assisted living facilities in Connecticut that are reporting positive cases of COVID-19 among their residents. The data is presented as it was reported to the state by each of the facilities. If a facility is not listed, that means it is reporting that it does not have any residents who have tested positive. This data is updated on a weekly basis.

Connecticut Department of Labor issues update on the establishment of a new contact center and the latest data on unemployment claims

The Connecticut Department of Labor Commissioner Kurt Westby today announced that his agency is on track to launch its renewed consumer contact center in mid-July. The improved contact center will increase the number of customer service representatives available and improve capacity at the agency by putting more communications platforms in use for customers. Currently, the agency has about 100 customer service representatives that are shifted between state and federal programs, and about 40 staff answering phone calls. The consumer contact center will add 60 new customer service representatives that can continue to work with applicants via phone and email, plus it includes new text, chat, call back, and virtual assistant features.

Regarding unemployment insurance applications, Commissioner Westby said that the agency has received 635,722 claims since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and 617,296 of them have been processed. Claims processing time is now down to about one or two weeks – a significant improvement from the height of the pandemic when it was about six weeks. Customers with out-of-state wages, foreign worker status, or earnings from a federal partner (like the Social Security Administration or the Department of Veterans Affairs) require the department to wait for verification before completing the claim.

Since March 13, the Connecticut Department of Labor has disbursed:

• $900 million in state unemployment benefits (UI);
• $75 million in pandemic unemployment assistance (PUA);
• $38 million in pandemic emergency unemployment compensation (PEUC) for individuals who have exhausted regular UI benefits; and
• $1.76 billion in federal pandemic unemployment compensation (FPUC), the additional weekly benefit that expires on July 25, 2020.

For more information, read the press release that was issued today by the Connecticut Department of Labor.

FEMA approves extension for emergency feeding program through July 20

The State of Connecticut has received an extension from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for approval to apply for reimbursement for statewide emergency feeding efforts until July 20. These vital efforts will continue to be coordinated by the Connecticut Department of Agriculture in partnership with the many state and local agencies and nonprofit providers, including community food banks.

FEMA has approved providing food support to the following populations:

• Individuals infected or exposed to COVID-19 that require isolation and quarantine but not hospitalization;
• Individuals who are asymptomatic but are at high risk, such as people over 65 or those who have certain underlying health conditions; and
• Individuals who do not have the resources to prepare or obtain meals, are facing food insecurity, and are not eligible for other public nutrition programs.

This extension helps the state ensure that it can continue to provide food support to the many residents, families, and children impacted by COVID-19.

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. Relay services can be accessed by calling 7-1-1. Anyone who is out-of-state or using Relay can connect to Connecticut 2-1-1 toll free by dialing 1-800-203-1234. The hotline is intended to be used by individuals who are not experiencing symptoms but may have general questions related to COVID-19. Anyone who is experiencing symptoms are strongly urged to contact their medical provider.