COVID Update 9.29

September 29, 2020

Dear Neighbor,

For those of you who like to get your homework in right under the wire, you have one more day to complete your census forms if you want to be sure to be counted!  A recent court ruling extended that deadline through October, but that is still under appeal, so now is the time to get it done.
 
I walked through several districts in Torrington yesterday with Lieutenant Governor Susan Bysiewicz and State Representative Michelle Cook, making sure residents had completed the forms.  One man poked his head out of his window and asked “Why do you need to know how many people live in my house?”  Here’s why:
 

  • The results of the 2020 Census will help determine how hundreds of billions of dollars in federal funding flow into communities every year for the next decade. That funding shapes many different aspects of every community, no matter the size, no matter the location.
  • Think of your local schools: Census results help determine how money is allocated for the Head Start program, for grants that support teachers and special education, and for school lunches.
  • Or think of your morning commute: Census results influence highway planning and construction, as well as grants for buses, subways, and other public transit systems.
  • The list goes on, including programs to support rural areas, to support firefighters, to restore wildlife, to prevent child abuse, to prepare for wildfires, and to provide housing assistance for older adults.
  • It all amounts to about $2,900 in resources for every resident, every year.  That adds up fast.

Here’s a list of today’s topics:

  • Governor Lamont signs Executive Order No. 9D (re extension of earlier orders)
  • Special Session convenes this week: the Take Back the Grid Act
  • DMV amends extension of deadlines for several credentials
  • Weekly update to the regional travel advisory: Colorado meets metrics to qualify, Arizona and Virginia removed
  • Connecticut Department of Public Health announces new COVID-19 guidelines for visitation at long-term care facilities in response to federal directive
  • State begins distributing 600,000 face masks to Connecticut school districts
  • Youth Mental Health First Aid Training offered free of charge
  • Conversation on keeping kids active and eating well during pandemic
  • “Healthy Chats” from Access Health CT kickoff in October
  • Are You Registered to Vote?
  • Stay Healthy During Flu Season
  • 211 Economic Impact Payment Helpline

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 Executive Order No. 9D enacting the following provisions:

  • Extension of prohibition on sale of alcohol by certain permittees without the sale of food: Extends the previously enacted prohibition on the sale of alcohol by certain permittees without the sale of food until at least November 9, 2020.
  • Extension of contracting flexibility regulated to student privacy data: Extends the provisions of Executive Order No. 7I, Section 5 through January 31, 2021.

Special Session convenes this week: the Take Back the Grid Act
 
Tomorrow, September 30, the House expects to convene a Special Session, at which we expect to take up proposed legislation on the matters included in the Governor’s “call”  which came at the end of last week. 
 
One of the major bills I am pleased to see on the list is the “Take Back the Grid Act,” which aims to transform the way the state establishes rates for energy, making the big utilities more accountable to ratepayers.  Some of the key parts of that proposed bill include:

  • Moving to a system of "Performance Based Ratemaking": additional factors, such as storm response and municipal engagement, will be considered by the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (“PURA”) when they set rates;
  • Requiring the utilities provide bill credits: up to $250 for spoiled food and medicine and $25/day when lack of preparation by the utility leads to outages lasting more than 96 hours;
  • Tying executive compensation to the performance targets;
  • Developing minimum staffing levels: including for line-workers, communications personnel, and others to make sure the utilities respond to storms quickly and convey information to their customers in a timely fashion.

 
Weekly update to the regional travel advisory: Colorado meets metrics to qualify, Arizona and Virginia removed
 
The regional travel advisory between Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York that directs incoming travelers from states with a significant community spread of COVID-19 to self-quarantine for a 14-day period was updated today: Colorado has been added to the list of impacted locations that meet the metrics to qualify, and Arizona and Virginia have been removed from the list.
 
The requirement to quarantine applies to any person traveling into Connecticut from a state with a  positive case rate higher than 10 per 100,000 residents, or higher than a 10 percent test positivity rate over a 7-day rolling average. It also applies to any person arriving into Connecticut from a country for which the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a Level 3 Travel Health Notice.
 
Anyone arriving to Connecticut from any of the impacted locations is required to fill out a travel health form upon their arrival. The form can be filled out online at ct.gov/travelform.
  
For the most up-to-date information on the regional travel advisory, including an extensive list of frequently asked questions, visitct.gov/Coronavirus/travel.
 
 
DMV amends extension of deadlines for several credentials
The Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) today announced that the agency is extending deadlines again for several expiring credentials. The change impacts credentials that expired between March 10, 2020 through November 30, 2020. Late fees will be waived for qualifying credentials.
 
Deadlines have been extended for the following DMV transactions:

  • All licenses, permits, and identification cards, including commercial driver’s licenses
  • Motor vehicle and boat registrations
  • Emissions testing and retesting
  • Permanent disability placard

Credentials that have expiration dates of March 10 through May 31, 2020 will be valid until November 30, 2020. Credentials that have expirations dates of June 1 through November 30, 2020 will be valid until December 31, 2020.
 
For questions, updates, or information about recent extensions of previously issued extensions, visit www.ct.gov/dmv, or call 860-263-5700 (within the Hartford area) or 1-800-842-8222 (outside the Hartford area).
 
Connecticut Department of Public Health announces new COVID-19 guidelines for visitation at long-term care facilities in response to federal directive
 
Following a newly issued directive from the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Connecticut Department of Public Health Acting Commissioner Dr. Deidre Gifford has signed an order rescinding previously issued orders limiting visitation at long-term care facilities, including nursing homes, that were issued to protect the health of nursing home residents in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
The Department of Public Health has issued new COVID-19 guidelines for visitation, which mean that long-term care facilities in Connecticut are permitted to resume indoor visitation effective immediately, provided that certain conditions are met. Nursing homes are encouraged to work closely with family members to arrange for the type of visitation most appropriate for each resident’s physical, mental, and psychosocial well-being.
 
Nursing homes may open for indoor visitation under certain conditions, including that there has been no new onset of COVID-19 cases in the last 14 days and the facility is not currently conducting outbreak testing.  Indoor visitation will be suspended if there is a positive COVID case among staff or residents.
 
In addition, facilities and visitors must adhere to the core principles of infection control:

  • Screening for all who enter the facility;
  • Hand hygiene recommendations;
  • Personal protection equipment as applicable;
  • Social distancing requirements;
  • Instructional signage throughout the facility;
  • Cleaning and disinfecting high frequency touched surfaces in the facility;
  • Effective cohorting of residents as applicable;
  • Visitors should be able to adhere to the core principles and staff should provide monitoring for those who may have difficulty adhering to core principles;
  • Facilities should limit the number of visitors per patient at one time and limit the total number of visitors in the facility one at a time (based on the size of the building and physical space). Facilities should consider scheduling visits for a specified length of time to help ensure all patients are able to receive visitors; and
  • Facilities should limit movement in the facility. For example, visitors should not walk around different halls of the facility. Rather, they should go directly to the patient’s room or designated visitation area.

The new visitation requirements also expand entry for health care workers and providers of other services whose access may have been previously restricted, such as social workers, clergy, hairdressers, and volunteers, as long as such individuals are not otherwise excluded from working due to an exposure to COVID-19 and comply with the core principles of infection Control.
 
The Department of Public Health also urges each chronic disease hospitals in the state not covered in the CMS guidance to develop a visitation plan for patients that includes the same core principles as long-term care facilities to prevent the spread of COVID-19. All in-person visits should be planned with the chronic disease hospital in collaboration with the patient’s family or conservator with guidelines for infection control and safety as part of the chronic disease hospital’s visitation policy.
 
 
State begins distributing 600,000 face masks to Connecticut school districts
 
The Connecticut State Department of Education, with the assistance of the Connecticut Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security and the Connecticut National Guard, began distributing 600,000 face masks to school districts across the state. Connecticut has received the first of two deliveries of cloth face masks from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The first delivery consisted of adult-sized masks that will be delivered to Grades 7-12. It is anticipated that a second delivery will arrive soon containing child-sized masks.
 
These masks have been allocated using the same methodology that FEMA applied to the national allocation, which was based on free and reduced-priced lunches. DEMHS communicated with local emergency management directors to assist with their local district’s pickup and distribution. For information on how the masks are being distributed, click here.
 
Youth Mental Health First Aid Training offered free of charge
 
McCall Center for Behavioral Health, supported by the Northwest Connecticut Community Foundation, is offering Youth Mental Health First Aid Certificate Training.  This public education program introduces participants to the unique risk factors and warning signs of mental health or substance use problems in adolescents, builds understanding of the importance of early intervention, and teaches adults how to help a young person in crisis or experiencing a mental health challenge.  Youth Mental Health First Aid uses role-playing and simulations to demonstrate how to assess a mental health crisis; provide initial help, and connect young people to professional, peer, social and self-help care.  This evidence-based training is managed by the National Council for Behavioral Health, and is being offered free of charge. 
 
Participants will complete a two-step process:

 
Contact Valerie English Cooper, at venglishcooper.mhfa@gmail .com, for more information, or visit www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org.
 
Conversation on keeping kids active and eating well during pandemic
 
On Tuesday October 6th, join pediatric experts from Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CT DEEP) and Hartford Athletic (professional soccer team in Hartford) for an engaging conversation on keeping kids active and eating well during the coronavirus pandemic. Now more than ever, children are spending time at home and it can be hard to find new, fun, and safe ways to get their bodies moving and energize them with healthy foods.
 
Tune into this virtual conversation for some guidance on how to make healthy lifestyle choices, information on getting out and about in Connecticut’s beautiful state parks from the Deputy Commissioner of CT DEEP, and exercise tips and soccer moves from Hartford Athletic’s own Noah Paravicini.
 
This conversation is open to all but registration is required.
 
“Healthy Chats” from Access Health CT kickoff in October
 
Access Health CT (AHCT) announced a series of upcoming virtual educational sessions, known as “Healthy Chats.” The purpose of these online events is to help Connecticut residents become familiar with the marketplace and the available tools to get coverage during the Annual Open Enrollment Period that starts on November 1, 2020. Healthy Chats can help Connecticut residents learn about plan options, financial help, low-cost and free coverage and tips to stay covered.  Please note that these are information-only sessions, and no enrollments will be processed.
 
AHCT is Connecticut’s official health insurance marketplace, where you can shop, compare and enroll in quality healthcare plans; and it is the only place where you can qualify for financial help to lower your costs, or be eligible for free or low-cost coverage through HUSKY Health (Medicaid/Children’s Health Insurance Plan or CHIP).  
 
Healthy Chats are free and will be held virtually via Zoom (in English & Spanish) on some Wednesdays & Thursdays in October and November. To join, attendees can access the event here.
Or here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/access-health-ct-open-enrollment-2020-healthy-chats-tickets-118671681193
 
Are You Registered to Vote?
 
Registering to vote in CT is easy and can be done online in just minutes. 
 
Visit https://voterregistration.ct.gov to:

  • Register to vote in Connecticut
  • Change your name and/or address on your current registration record
  • Enroll in a political party or change party enrollment

Several new CT residents, who haven’t been able to transfer their out-of-state driver’s licenses yet, have reached out to me about registering to vote. If you are now a CT resident, and otherwise eligible to register, you should be able to register using other documentation to prove your identity and residency. Please reach out to your Town Clerk for specifics.
 
Already registered to vote?
 
Click HERE to learn about how you can vote by absentee ballot. Due to COVID-19 all voters are eligible to vote by absentee ballot in the general election held on November 3, 2020. Just check the COVID-19 box on the application.
 
Stay Healthy During Flu Season
 
In a recent press release the Department of Public Heath (DPH) announced the start of influenza vaccination clinics in Connecticut for the coming flu season. DPH strongly encourages all CT residents to make plans to get a flu vaccine before flu viruses begin spreading in your community.
 
Wearing a mask, cleaning your hands often and getting a flu shot early are key to protecting yourself, your family and your community from flu and COVID-19 in the coming months. 
 
The flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses that infect the nose, throat, and sometimes the lungs. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends everyone 6 months and older get a flu vaccine. The flu vaccine is the most important step in protecting against the flu. 
 
The Healthmap Vaccine Finder can help you find a list of locations administering the flu vaccine near you.
 
For more information on how to prevent the seasonal flu visit CDC's Influenza Page.

211 Economic Impact Payment Helpline
 
The 211 Economic Impact Payment Helpline has partnered with Code for America's GetYourRefund program to help close the digital divide that prevents individuals from getting their Economic Impact Payment (often called a stimulus payment).
 
Visit www.getyourrefund.org/211-stimulus or call the 211 Economic Impact Payment Helpline at 1-844-322-3639 to work with an IRS-certified Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) volunteer to prepare your Economic Impact Payment paperwork.
 
An estimated 5 million eligible Americans have not received their stimulus payment. Individuals who call the helpline for this service need only to text or email their photo ID to complete the process. Interpreters are available to provide assistance in over 120 languages.
 
Visit www.getyourrefund.org/211-stimulus or call 1-844-322-3639 to secure your stimulus payment. 
 
The current deadline to access your Economic Impact Payment is October 15, 2020.  
 
 
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 is strongly urged to contact their medical provider.