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 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 5, 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.

*Includes confirmed plus probable cases; probable cases include persons with positive antigen results
**Daily test positivity is the number of new positive molecular and antigen cases divided by the number of new molecular and antigen tests reported in the past 24 hours
***Totals include 530 cases and 26,321 antigen tests conducted during August-November previously reported to the Connecticut Department of Public Health but not previously included in COVID-19 case and test counts

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.”

Connecticut Department of Public Health issues statewide COVID-19 advisory recommending all residents limit non-essential trips outside the home from 10PM to 5AM

The Connecticut Department of Public Health today issued a statewide public health advisory urging Connecticut residents to limit any non-essential trips outside the home between the hours of 10:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. in order to reduce the risk of further viral transmission of COVID-19. The advisory applies to every Connecticut resident, except those who are essential workers who must leave home in order to go to their jobs, and anyone who must leave their home on an emergency basis to seek  medical care or purchase medical supplies, food, or groceries.

Specifically, the Public Health Advisory recommends but does not mandate that:

1. Those over age 60, and anyone with a chronic disease or obesity who are at higher risk for complications of COVID-19 take extra precautions and limit non-essential trips outside your home;
2. Employers allow work-from-home as much as possible;
3. Non-essential social or community gatherings of any size for any reason (e.g., parties, community meetings, celebrations or other social events) end by 9:30 pm or otherwise be canceled or postponed at this time;
4. Everyone maintain at least a six foot distance from those who do not live with you;
5. Everyone wear a mask whenever you leave home and wear a mask INSIDE your home if someone from outside your household is visiting;
6. Everyone clean their hands frequently using soap and water, hand sanitizer, or isopropyl alcohol wipes. Washing hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds works best. Avoid touching your face; and
7. Families and loved ones should limit visitation to long term care facilities.

This Public Health Advisory shall remain in effect until COVID-19 disease trends move in a more positive direction statewide and in accordance with future governor executive orders or commissioner orders as needed.

For more information, read the press release issued today by the Department of Public Health.

Weekly update of the Department of Public Health’s COVID-19 Alert Map: Sixty-eight municipalities now in red

The Connecticut Department of Public Health today released its weekly COVID-19 Alert Map, which indicates that 68 cities and towns in Connecticut are now in the red zone alert level, the highest of the state’s four alert levels. They are:

• Ansonia
• Berlin*
• Bethel*
• Bethlehem*
• Bozrah*
• Bridgeport
• Bristol*
• Brookfield*
• Brooklyn*
• Chaplin*
• Clinton*
• Danbury
• Derby*
• East Granby*
• East Hampton*
• East Hartford
• East Haven*
• East Windsor*
• Ellington
• Franklin
• Griswold
• Groton
• Hamden*
• Hampton*
• Hartford
• Killingly
• Ledyard*
• Meriden*
• Middlebury
• Middlefield
• Middletown*
• Monroe*
• Montville
• Naugatuck*
• New Britain
• New Haven*
• New London
• Newington*
• North Branford*
• North Canaan
• North Haven*
• North Stonington*
• Norwalk
• Norwich
• Plainfield
• Plainville*
• Plymouth*
• Prospect*
• Putnam*
• Seymour*
• Shelton*
• Southington*
• Sprague
• Stamford
• Stratford*
• Thomaston*
• Tolland*
• Wallingford*
• Waterbury
• Waterford
• Watertown
• West Haven*
• Wethersfield*
• Windham
• Windsor*
• Wolcott
• Woodbridge*
• Woodbury*

*Newly added to the red-level alert list this week

The towns of Canterbury, Cromwell, Lisbon, and Old Saybrook were in the red zone last week and have been downgraded to the orange zone this week.

The red zone indicates municipalities that have an average daily COVID-19 case rate over the last two weeks of greater than 15 per 100,000 population. The orange zone indicates those that have case rates between 10 to 14 cases per 100,000 population. The yellow zone indicates municipalities that have case rates between 5 and 9 per 100,000 population, and those indicated in gray have case rates lower than five per 100,000 population.

The weekly alert map is also accompanied by a chart that provides guidance on recommended actions based on the alert levels for individual residents; institutions such as schools, houses of worship, and community organizations; as well as municipal leaders and local health directors.

The Department of Public Health will be working with individual cities and towns in the higher-alert levels, including their local health departments, to provide community resources and help make community-level decisions.

The COVID-19 Alert Map is updated every Thursday around 4:00 p.m. and can be found in the Data Tracker page of the state’s coronavirus website at ct.gov/coronavirus.

Weekly update on the impact of COVID-19 on nursing homes and assisted living facilities

The following documents contain the weekly data regarding each of the nursing homes and assisted living facilities in Connecticut that have reported 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.

Governor Lamont signs 79^th executive order to mitigate the spread of COVID-19

Governor Lamont today signed another executive order – the 79^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. 9K enacts the following provisions:

• Repeal of municipal authority and return to statewide protective measures: Repeals Executive Order No. 9G, Section 1 and Executive Order No. 9J, Section 1.
• Return to Phase 2 limits on certain gatherings: Amends the limits on indoor religious, spiritual, or worship gatherings to no more than 50 percent of the building’s capacity or a maximum of 100 people, whichever is lower. If held outdoors, the limit is the number of people that can be accommodated safely by the venue or location, provided that all persons present wear masks, unless speaking from a designated safe location, and that a distance of six feet is maintained between all persons or groups not from the same household.
• Reduced capacity at indoor graduation ceremonies: Limits the capacity of indoor graduation ceremonies to 50 percent of the venue’s capacity or a maximum of 100 people, whichever is smaller.
• DECD authority to enact sector rules for youth sports: Authorizes the commissioner of the Department of Economic and Community Development to establish mandatory rules for the safe conduct of youth sports.
• DECD authority to enact sector rules governing mandatory closing times for certain businesses and other establishments: Authorizes the commissioner of the Department of Economic and Community Development to establish mandatory closing times for any business or establishment.
• Extension of expanded outdoor dining: Extends all currently enacted provisions related to outdoor dining through February 9, 2021.
• Extension of prohibition on sale of alcohol by certain permittees without the sale of food: Extends all currently enacted provisions prohibiting the sale of alcohol by certain permittees without the sale of food contained through February 9, 2021.
• Flexibility for school nutrition programs: Modifies certain state statutes related to school nutrition programs and enables the commissioner of the Department of Education to temporarily waive or modify any requirements related to these programs.

Providing information to Connecticut residents

For the most up-to-date information from the State of Connecticut on COVID-19, residents are encouraged to visit ct.gov/coronavirus. Residents can also subscribe to text message alerts from the state by texting the keyword COVIDCT to 888-777.

Individuals who have general questions that are not answered on the website can call 2-1-1 for assistance. 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 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.