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 4:00 p.m. on Friday, July 24, 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.

*NOTE: Today’s update includes a large set of data provided by an out-of-state lab on tests that were conducted on Connecticut residents between May 23 and July 20 and not reported to the State of Connecticut until today. This data set provided by the out-of-state lab includes approximately 12,000 tests, 440 of which were positive. The remaining 104 positive cases in today’s report are newly reported cases in the day-to-day update, giving a 0.79% positivity rate for the day.

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.”

Governor Lamont signs 63^rd executive order to mitigate the spread of COVID-19

Governor Lamont today signed another executive order – the 63^rd 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. 7JJJ enacts the following provisions:

• Rebuttable presumption of eligibility for workers compensation: Creates a rebuttable presumption that workers who contracted COVID-19 in the early days of the pandemic contracted it on the job and are eligible for workers’ compensation benefits.

Updated rules for specific industries announced

The Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development today announced that after consulting with industry leaders and public health officials, some updates have been made to the state’s previously announced industry-specific rules during the COVID-19 pandemic. The updates provide more specific guidance, as well as new recommendations for a broad range of sectors.

Highlights include:

• New rules for indoor recreation and expanded guidance for outdoor events.
• Changes impacting offices, personal services, hair salons and barbershops, retail, libraries, etc.:
  • Nonessential businesses have the right to refuse service to anyone not wearing a mask.
  • In the event an employee tests positive for COVID-19, it is recommended the business implement a 24-hour passive decontamination and follow CDC guidelines for cleaning and disinfecting.
  • For bathrooms, the positing of signage encouraging reduced capacity and reminding individuals to wash their hands and wear masks is suggested.
• Changes impacting restaurants:
  • Servers are no longer required to wear gloves.
  • Indoor performances are now allowed (with the exception of musical vocalists).
• Hotels are now permitted to provide nonessential services and amenities (e.g. valets, ice machines)

The updated rules go into effect immediately. Businesses and nonprofits that have already completed the self-certification process as part of Phases 1 and 2 do not need to re-register, but must comply with any new rules for their sector.

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, or text CTCOVID to 898211. The hotline is available 24 hours a day and has multilingual assistance. Anyone who is out-of-state or requires a toll-free number can connect to Connecticut 2-1-1 toll free by dialing 1-800-203-1234. This 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.