COVID-19 Updates 4/21

April 21, 2020

GOVERNOR LAMONT PROVIDES UPDATE ON CONNECTICUT’S CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE EFFORTS (Latest Data as of 7:00PM on Tuesday, April 21, 2020)

Data updates on testing in Connecticut

A county-by-county breakdown includes:

County Laboratory-Confirmed Cases Hospitalizations Deaths
Fairfield County 8,472 735 544
Hartford County 3,951 473 402
Litchfield County 643 23 59
Middlesex County 512 40 47
New Haven County 5,493 625 322
New London County 369 35 13
Tolland County 305 13 30
Windham County 112 5 2
Pending address validation 503 0 4
Total 20,360 1,949 1,423

For several additional graphs and tables containing more data, including a list of cases in every municipality, click here.

Governor Lamont signs 30th executive order to mitigate the spread of COVID-19

Governor Lamont today signed another executive order – the 30th 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. 7CC enacts the following provisions:

  • Applicability of Executive Order No. 7S, Section 7 to additional critical and time-sensitive municipal fiscal actions
  • Clarification of time periods regarding suspension and modification of non-judicial tax sales pursuant to Executive Order No. 7S, Section 11
  • Exclusion of federal stimulus payments in evaluating eligibility for state or local programs financed in whole or in part using state funds
  • Alternative to physical presence in court for finding of irretrievable breakdown of marriage
  • Alternative to in-person waiver of right to file motion or petition for educational support
  • Alternative to physical appearance of petitioner regarding decree of dissolution after entry of decree of legal separation
  • Alternative to in-court canvas prior to entrance of final agreement
  • Alternative to physical presence when findings on the record required
  • Revised financial protections for people covered by insurance who receive out-of-network health care services during the public health emergency

COVID-19 Testing Reminder

Connecticut's first rapid COVID-19 testing center is now open at the former Gateway Community College parking lot in New Haven. The test is free for any Connecticut resident with COVID-19 related symptoms and risk factors as defined by CDC guidelines.

The testing site uses the Abbott ID NOW COVID-19 rapid-response test. Abbott claims it can show positive results for COVID-19 in approximately five minutes and negative results in less than 15 minutes. Patients will REMAIN IN THEIR VEHICLES for the test then drive to the Jordan’s Furniture parking to wait for the results.

If you are interested in receiving a test, you must make an appointment. Tests can be scheduled up to two days in advance. To register, click here.

Click here for more information.

Session Updates

Democratic and Republican legislative leaders announced that the regular 2020 session will not reconvene before the May 6 constitutional adjournment date.

In a joint statement, Speaker of the House Joe Aresimowicz, Senate President Martin M. Looney, House Majority Leader Matt Ritter, Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff, House Minority Leader Themis Klarides, and Senate Minority Leader Len Fasano said,

"The 2020 regular legislative session will adjourn without any further action, and we are already working on a plan to convene a special session in the coming months to ensure the continuity of government functions and that any necessary legislative action can be taken. Our top priority is the health and safety of the public, and we are committed to continue working in unison to stem this health crisis and do everything possible to protect the Connecticut residents we all represent."

SNAP participants receive second round of emergency food benefits today

The Connecticut Department of Social Services yesterday announced that the second round of emergency food benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) were delivered to nearly 108,000 households yesterday.

Authorized by the federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act of 2020, the extra food benefits are being distributed to those households that are not currently receiving the maximum SNAP benefits allowed for their household size. This means that all households in SNAP are receiving the maximum food benefit allowable for their household size, even if they aren’t usually eligible for the maximum benefit.

The first round of emergency SNAP benefits were delivered to households on April 9. For more information, click here.

Governor Lamont announces payment relief for student loan borrowers

Governor Ned Lamont and Banking Commissioner Jorge Perez, in collaboration with other states, today announced that the State of Connecticut has secured relief options with many private student loan servicers whose borrowers are not covered by the recently adopted federal CARES Act. This new initiative will benefit Connecticut residents with privately held student loans.

While the CARES Act provided relief for students with federal loans, it did not address millions of student loan borrowers with federal loans that are not owned by the U.S. Government, as well as loans made by private lenders.

Under this new initiative, Connecticut residents with commercially owned Federal Family Education Loan Programs or privately held student loans who are struggling to make their payments due to the COVID-19 pandemic will be eligible for expanded relief.  Borrowers in need of assistance should immediately contact their student loan servicer to identify the options that are appropriate to their circumstances. Relief options through the servicers listed below include:

  • Providing a minimum of 90 days of forbearance;
  • Waiving late payment fees;
  • Ensuring that no borrower is subject to negative credit reporting;
  • Ceasing debt collection lawsuits for 90 days; and
  • Working with borrower to enroll them in other borrower assistance programs, such as income based repayment.

Additionally, if regulated student loan servicers are limited in their ability to take these actions due to investor restrictions or contractual obligations, servicers should instead proactively work with loan holders whenever possible to relax those restrictions or obligations. The Department of Banking encourages prudent and reasonable actions taken to support relief for borrowers during the pandemic.

To determine the types of federal loans residents have and who their servicers are, borrowers can visit the U.S. Department of Education’s National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) or call the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1(800) 433-3243 or 1(800) 730-8913 (TDD). Borrowers with private student loans can check the contact information on their monthly billing statements.

If a borrower is experiencing trouble with their student loan servicer, they are encouraged to ask to speak to a supervisor. If assistance is still needed, they can contact the following and file a complaint:

Private student loan servicers providing relief under this initiative include:

  • Aspire Resources, Inc.
  • College Ave Student Loan Servicing, LLC
  • Earnest Operations
  • Edfinancial
  • Kentucky Higher Education Student Loan Corporation
  • Lendkey Technologies, Inc.
  • MOHELA
  • Navient
  • Nelnet
  • SoFi Lending Corp.
  • Tuition Options
  • United Guaranty Services, Inc.
  • Upstart Network, Inc.
  • Utah Higher Education Assistance Authority
  • Vermont Student Assistance Corporation

Additional private student loan servicers may be added. An up-to-date list will be maintained on the Connecticut Department of Banking’s website.

States joining this initiative include California, Colorado, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington.

Connecticut Office of the Arts Grants Available

Recognizing that artists provide inspiration, connection, and education, particularly at times when the creative sector is needed most, the Connecticut Office of the Arts – a state office housed within the Department of Economic and Community Development – yesterday announced that two grant programs have been created to help local artists negatively impacted by COVID-19:

  • The Connecticut Artists Relief Grant program will provide $500 grants to over 100 individual artists and teaching artists who live in the state and whose creative practices and income are being adversely impacted by the safety measures put into place to prevent the spread of the virus. The grant is partly funded by the New England Foundation for the Arts.
  • The Connecticut Artists Respond Grant program helps artists translate and present their art virtually. Individual or collaborative artists who create or have created projects that respond to the needs of the times by presenting art activities, classes, or other creative experiences online at no cost to the public will be eligible for $1,000 or $2,000, respectively.

Applications will be accepted for both programs through May 4, 2020. For specific questions, artists should contact Tamara Dimitri, and teaching artists should contact Bonnie Koba.