COVID-19 Updates 10/23

October 23, 2020
I hope you are continuing to stay strong because we will get through this together. Here is the latest on COVID-19 data, and resources.
IMPORTANT NEWS UPDATE 
* As Waterbury see's uptick in COVID19 cases *

Due to an increase and uptick in COVID-19 positivity rates, Waterbury has been moved onto the Red alert list.

What does that mean for Waterbury citizens? 

Mayor O'Leary announced that Waterbury will remain at Phase 3 (the October 8 rules).

Local and National Data Updates
(Latest Data as of 4:00 PM on Friday, October 23, 2020)
 
  Confirmed Cases    Deaths    Tests Completed
Worldwide 42.4 Million 1.15 Million  
U.S. 8.72 Million 229,028 130.8 Million
Connecticut   66,052 4,577 2.11 Million
Waterbury 2,917 193  

For several additional charts and tables containing more data groups, including a town-by-town breakdown of positive cases in each municipality and a breakdown of cases and deaths among age groups, click here.

Positivity for the Future

“The nation braces for an uptick in COVID-19 cases increasing, some areas are already experiencing increasing hospitalization rates. The State of Connecticut in general has done a good job maintaining the COVID-19 cases at a relatively low percentage point, in part by wearing the masks, social distancing and good safe practices. Although we have recently seen an uptick pushing CT closer to 3% infection rate statewide, we’ve been a national leader in best practices!” - State Rep. Geraldo Reyes

Small Business Support

This week, Governor Lamont announced that he is creating the Connecticut CARES Small Business Grant Program to assist small businesses and nonprofits that have been impacted by the economic downturn caused by the global COVID-19 pandemic.

The program will provide businesses and nonprofits in Connecticut that have fewer than twenty employees or a 2019 payroll of less than $1.5 million with a one-time grant of $5,000.

The grants, run by the Department of Economic and Community Development, will aid 10,000 local businesses and non-profits, and can be used for nearly all regular business expenses, including new costs associated with COVID-19 compliance.

To fund the program, Governor Lamont is committing $50 million from the state’s Coronavirus Relief Fund, which utilizes federal CARES Act funding.

Grants will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, with half of the funds dedicated to small businesses and nonprofits located in designated distressed municipalities, like Waterbury. DECD estimates it will begin accepting online applications the week of November 9, and all of the funds are anticipated to be disbursed by December 30. More information can be found here.

 

Weekly update to the regional travel advisory: Arizona and Maryland meet metrics to qualify, no areas 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 this week: Arizona and Maryland have been added to the list of impacted locations that meet the metrics to qualify, and no states or territories were removed from the list this week.

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.

The list of impacted locations is updated once per week every Tuesday. The full list of impacted locations under the travel advisory includes:

  1. Alabama
  2. Alaska
  3. Arizona
  4. Arkansas
  5. Colorado
  6. Delaware
  7. Florida
  8. Georgia
  9. Guam
  10. Idaho
  11. Illinois
  12. Indiana
  13. Iowa
  14. Kansas
  15. Kentucky
  16. Louisiana
  17. Maryland
  18. Michigan
  19. Minnesota
  20. Mississippi
  21. Missouri
  22. Montana
  23. Nebraska
  24. Nevada
  25. New Mexico
  26. North Carolina
  27. North Dakota
  28. Ohio
  29. Oklahoma
  30. Puerto Rico
  31. Rhode Island
  32. South Carolina
  33. South Dakota
  34. Tennessee
  35. Texas
  36. Utah
  37. Virginia
  38. West Virginia
  39. Wisconsin
  40. Wyoming

For the most up-to-date information on the regional travel advisory, including an extensive list of frequently asked questions, click here.