State Capitol Update for the Week of December 30
December 30, 2021The big announcement from the Governor this week was that the state had purchased 3 million at-home rapid COVID-19 tests and 6 million N95 masks, and planned to distribute them to municipalities and K-12 schools. The National Guard was called up to help with distribution and logistics.
The first phase of distribution was supposed to start this week, with an initial allotment of one million tests (or half a million test kits, as each kit contains two tests) distributed to municipalities throughout the state based on population. (As examples, that means Salisbury expected about 500 tests, and Sharon about 360). That timing hit a big snag, however, due to distribution and logistical bottlenecks on the West Coast, and the materials are not yet in CT, so distribution has not begun. This snag was announced a few minutes after I did this week’s video (unfortunately I was a little optimistic there), and as of my writing this sentence, there are no commitments on revised timing.
The Governor is leaving it up to each town to manage the distribution of its allocation, and towns in the 64th District are each handling it differently. Some plan to distribute on a first come/first served basis, while others are prioritizing tests for public-facing workers (i.e. grocery stores, transfer stations, etc.), for example. Check your town website to determine how your town will handle distribution, keeping in mind that the kits, whenever we eventually receive them, will cover only a small fraction (10-15% by my rough estimate) of the population.
The remaining 2 million tests are to be distributed to K-12 schools, starting in “January” – stay tuned on how that will work and when it will happen.
As this is the final newsletter of 2021, thank you to all who read and respond to these! I hope they’ve been helpful, and I hope you will continue to provide me with local events, issues, or other feedback – this is definitely a crowd-sourced endeavor.
I wish you all a Happy New Year, filled with joy, laughter, friendship, family, and good health. Maybe I’ll see you on one of CT’s “First Day Hikes” on January 1! (See section below for more details).
Here’s a list of today’s topics:
- Data Updates on Testing in Connecticut. Click here.
- CT will Distribute 3 Million COVID-19 Rapid Tests and 6 million N95 Masks. Click here.
- DEEP to Hold Public Meeting on Housatonic Meadows State Park. Click here.
- New Laws Taking Effect on January 1, 2022. Click here.
- Connecticut to Replace Diesel Buses Using Settlement Funds from Volkswagen. Click here.
- Earned Income Tax Credit for 2020 to be Retroactively Enhanced. Click here.
- Funding Opportunity for Community-Based Organizations to Expand Public Health Capacity in Rural and Tribal Communities. Click here.
- First Day Hikes. Click here.
Data updates on testing in Connecticut (as of 12/29/21)
The following is a summary of the day-to-day newly reported data on cases 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.
| Overall Summary | Total | Change Since Yesterday |
| COVID-19 Cases (confirmed and probable) | 502,484 | +7,520 |
| COVID-19 Tests Reported (molecular and antigen) | 13,442,757 | +42,295 |
| Daily Test Positivity | -- | 17.78% |
| Patients Currently Hospitalized with COVID-19 | 1,113 | +150 |
Of the 1,113 patients currently hospitalized with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19, 823 (73.9%) are not fully vaccinated.
For the week beginning December 12, 2021, unvaccinated persons had a 4.5x greater risk of testing positive for COVID-19 compared to fully vaccinated persons.
For the week beginning December 12, 2021, unvaccinated persons had a 13.3x greater risk of dying from COVID-19 compared to fully vaccinated persons.
Data on COVID-19 associated deaths is updated once per week every Thursday. The most recently reported total number of deaths is 9,077.
County-by-county breakdown of current COVID-19 hospitalizations:
| County | Current COVID-19 Hospitalizations |
| Fairfield County | 282 |
| Hartford County | 311 |
| Litchfield County | 25 |
| Middlesex County | 33 |
| New Haven County | 351 |
| New London County | 75 |
| Tolland County | 9 |
| Windham County | 27 |
| Total | 1,113 |
For a series of interactive graphs and maps that provide additional data, including metrics related to age, gender, and race/ethnicity, as well as data broken down by every town and city in Connecticut, visit ct.gov/coronavirus and click the link that is labeled, “Data Tracker.”
Connecticut will distribute 3 million COVID-19 at-home rapid tests and 6 million N95 masks; National Guard called up to help with distribution
This week Governor Lamont announced plans to distribute three million COVID-19 at-home rapid tests and six million N95 masks in Connecticut in an effort to help curb the spread of COVID-19 during this heavy travel and holiday season, and called up nearly 100 Connecticut National Guard soldiers and airmen to assist in the logistical operations for the immediate distribution. While ordered to duty, the Connecticut National Guard soldiers and airmen will also perform missions to alleviate the effects caused by the current Omicron variant surge.
The first one million self-tests (or half of a million test kits, as each kit contains two tests) were supposed to be distributed to municipalities this week, allocated by population. However, due to shipping and warehouse delays outside of Connecticut’s control, the state’s anticipated shipment of tests has not yet arrived in Connecticut. As of this writing, there is no commitment on when they are expected to arrive and/or be distributed.
The remaining two million tests will go to K-12 schools for planned distribution in January.
Each municipality and school district will determine how best to provide them to people who live in their respective cities and towns. Towns throughout the 64th District are planning to distribute the differently, some on a first come/first served basis, others prioritizing certain workers or vulnerable populations. Check your town website to determine how your town will handle distribution, keeping in mind that the kits, whenever we eventually receive them, will cover only a small fraction (10-15% by my rough estimate) of the population.
The first allocation (to municipalities) will include the distribution of 500,000 iHealth kits – each containing two tests for a total of one million tests – that will be designated for the general public. The Connecticut Department of Public Health, Connecticut Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, and Connecticut National Guard will oversee the distribution of the kits, with support from regional and local emergency management teams. This initiative also will include the distribution of N95 masks. State officials stress that details of the distribution of the kits and N95 masks are still being finalized and are subject to change.
In addition to those designated for the general public, the state has purchased another one million iHealth kits – each containing two tests for a total of two million tests – that will be distributed to K-12 schools statewide. Distribution of those kits, which will also include a supply of N95 masks, will begin in January and continue through the school year as supplies last. Planning for this initiative is being conducted in partnership with the Connecticut State Department of Education. More details on the distribution of tests for schools will be announced in early January.
The total cost of the three million tests is approximately $18.5 million and will be funded through federal funds, as is the cost of activating the National Guard.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has granted emergency use authorization for the iHealth COVID-19 antigen rapid test, which is completed with an anterior nasal swab and is not the deep nasal test. The complete instructions for the at-home rapid test are available on the iHealth packaging in English and Spanish. Results are usually available in 15 minutes. More information on the iHealth antigen home test kits is available at ihealthlabs.com.
“Residents who have not been vaccinated should get their COVID-19 vaccine now and can do so by visiting ct.gov/covidvaccine,” Department of Public Health Commissioner Juthani said. “For all vaccinated people 16 and older that are eligible for a booster, please get one as soon as possible. For all school-age children 5 and older that are not vaccinated yet, please use this school break to get vaccinated. Vaccination saves lives and keeps people who get COVID out of the hospital.”
The Connecticut Department of Public Health is in the process of adding 7 more community testing sites to its current roster of 23 state-sponsored sites. Information on the approximately 400 COVID-19 testing sites currently operating in Connecticut is available by calling 2-1-1 or visiting 211CT.org.
Department of Energy & Environmental Protection (DEEP) will hold public meeting concerning Housatonic Meadows State Park on January 6
On Thursday, January 6, 2022, at 6:00 p.m., DEEP will hold a virtual public meeting on the hazard tree removal at Housatonic Meadows State Park. Online registration for the public meeting is now available. Click here to learn more.
The DEEP webpage includes this notice concerning the park:
Important Public Safety Message Concerning Ongoing Hazard Tree Work and Road Closure
Visitors will notice some recent changes to the park related to ongoing hazard tree work. There is a temporary closure of a portion of the park’s interior road, with new signage and snow fencing in place.
The temporary road closure, signage and fencing are designed to the keep the public at a distance from hazard trees, both those trees already cut and on the ground, and those trees which are still standing, as of now, but have been marked for ongoing tree removal. Visitors are urged to observe the signage and remain at a safe distance from the hazard trees. The public is prohibited from entering the fenced off areas.
The public is still welcome to park in the parking lot and use other areas of the park.
Click here for more information on the park.
Laws taking effect on January 1, 2022
I wanted to make you aware of a few new laws that will take effect in Connecticut at the start of the new year. My colleagues and I worked hard during the 2021 legislative session to listen to your concerns and advocate for meaningful change in our state. We look forward to getting back to the Capitol soon to continue in those efforts.
Please see below for a list of laws that go into effect on January 1st, 2022:
|
|
Connecticut will replace 43 diesel buses using settlement funds from Volkswagen
Forty-three diesel school buses across Connecticut are being replaced with new electric buses, funded by $12.7 million the state received from a legal settlement with Volkswagen Corp. following an emissions cheating scandal. The new buses will operate in Middletown, New Britain, Hamden, Stamford, Bethel, Ansonia and Griswold. Click here for more information.
Earned Income Tax Credit for 2020 to be retroactively enhanced to 41.5% using federal Coronavirus Relief Funds
CT’s Department of Revenue Service (DRS) will retroactively enhance the 2020 Connecticut Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) from 23% of the federal credit to 41.5%. The additional state tax refund will provide needed economic support to low-to-moderate income working individuals and families disproportionately burdened by COVID-19 and its negative economic impacts.
The enhancement will benefit nearly 200,000 households that earned up to $56,844 in 2020 and filed for that year’s EITC. The amount of each household’s enhanced credit is need-tested and depends on the size of its federal credit, which the IRS calculates based on taxpayers’ income, marital status, and number of qualifying children. For example, a single parent of two at the federal poverty level who received a $1,246 state credit in the spring will now receive an additional $1,002 for a total state credit of $2,248.
The $75 million cost of the enhanced credit will be covered by the final portion of the state’s $1.38 billion Coronavirus Relief Fund, made available through the federal CARES Act. Connecticut previously used its Coronavirus Relief Fund to purchase PPE, expand access to testing, and support schools, small businesses, non-profits, nursing homes, hospitals, renters, homeowners, public colleges, and municipalities dealing with the unexpected costs of COVID-19.
The enhanced credit will provide additional support for the children lifted out of poverty by the 2021 federal Child Tax Credit, which expires this week. The Connecticut households receiving the enhanced credit are home to more than 220,000 children and other dependents. Nationally, 97% of federal EITC benefits go to families with children.
The Connecticut Department of Revenue Services plans to issue checks for the additional credit to eligible households before the end of February.
The Connecticut Earned Income Tax Credit was created in 2011 and has had varying rates over the last decade, including 30% in 2011 and 2012, 25% in 2013, 27.5% from 2014 to 2016, and 23% from 2017 to 2020.
The rate was recently increased to 30.5% under the fiscal year 2022-2023 biennial state budget that Governor Lamont signed into law in June. That newly enacted increase brings Connecticut’s rate higher than the neighboring states of Massachusetts and New York, which are both at 30%.
Funding opportunity for community-based organizations to expand public health capacity in rural and tribal communities
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA), Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP), announced the availability of nearly $48 million in American Rescue Plan funding for community-based organizations to expand public health capacity in rural and tribal communities through health care job development, training and placement. Awardees will be able to use this funding to address workforce needs related to the long-term effects of COVID-19, health information technology (IT), and other key workforce issues. The application deadline is March 18, 2022.
Rural Public Health Workforce Training Network Program awardees will establish community health networks, which may be composed of, but are not limited to, community and technical colleges, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and other minority-serving institutions; Critical Access Hospitals, community health centers, nursing homes, Rural Health Clinics, and substance use providers; and state or local workforce development boards. These networks will work to establish sustainable placement opportunities and integrate newly trained public health professionals into quality organizations and care teams to support the provision of health care services in rural communities.
Approximately $1,545,000 each will be available for a three-year period of performance. Award recipients will receive the full award amount in the first year of the period of performance and are required to allocate funds across all three years.
FORHP will hold a webinar for applicants on Wednesday, January 5, 2022 from 1 – 2 p.m. ET. A recording will be made available for those who cannot attend. For dial-in information, view the NOFO on Grants.gov, click the Package tab, then Preview, and Download Instructions; technical assistance information is on page (ii).
If you have any questions about the program, please send an email to: RPHWTNP@hrsa.gov.
Connecticut celebrates the New Year with First Day Hikes on January 1
What better way to kick off the New Year than by getting a jump start burning off those extra holiday calories in the great outdoors? Get outside walking and hiking on January 1st with the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) State Parks, and its partners and Friends groups, as Connecticut once again takes part in the annual First Day Hikes. These hikes provide a great way to welcome the coming year in the outdoors, exercising and connecting with nature. For many it has become a tradition.
America’s State Parks First Day Hikes, a nationwide initiative of the National Association of State Park Directors, offer individuals and families an opportunity to begin the New Year connecting with the outdoors by taking a healthy hike on January 1, 2022 at a state park close to home. First Day Hikes offer a great way to get outside, exercise, enjoy nature and welcome the New Year with friends and family.
DEEP State Parks and Forests Friends groups have put together a range of in-person and self-guided hikes and programs for those looking to participate. Visit the DEEP Calendar of Events to select from various First Day Hike options. Distance and rigor vary from park to park, but all hikes aim to create a fun experience for the whole family.
This year, CT State Parks will continue adapting First Day Hikes with health and safety in mind with both traditional hikes and self-guided hikes. Participants are asked to follow DEEP’s New Normal Guidelines as everyone plays a role in keeping the community safe during this pandemic. Those who are not yet fully vaccinated should continue to wear a face mask outdoors when social distancing is not possible.
In Connecticut, over a dozen First Day Hikes will be offered at State Park and Forest locations (offerings may change, visit the DEEP Events Calendar and search by keyword “first day hike” for updates and additions).
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.