Businesses Must Self-Certify Prior to Reopening May 20

May 14, 2020

As our state gets closer to the goal of opening the economy, I want to remind you that we must continue to stay vigilant and practice social distancing and take preventative measures to reduce the transmission of COVID-19 and probability of becoming sick.

A lot of information and guidance will be coming out over the next few days and weeks, and my office and I will be working diligently to keep you informed.

This email contains information on the following:

  • COVID-19 Update
  • Reopen CT Advisory Group Roundtable
  • CVS Opens Testing Sites

COVID-19 Update

As of Thursday at 2 p.m., a total of 35,464 cases of COVID-19 have been reported among Connecticut residents. Day-to-day changes reflect newly reported cases, deaths, and tests that occurred over the last several days to week. All data in this report are preliminary; data for previous dates will be updated as new reports are received and data errors are corrected. For a county-by-county breakdown of cases or to view additional data, please click the image above.

Click the buttons below for updated lists of every nursing home and assisted living facility in Connecticut with residents who have tested positive for COVID-19, along with corresponding data regarding the number of fatalities among residents in each facility. These lists are updated weekly.



Governor Signs 42nd Executive Order

The Governor signed Executive Order No. 7OO to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. It enacts the following provisions:

  • Procedures for local appointments and elections requiring in-person vote

Read Executive Order No. 7OO here.

Companies Required to Self-Certify Prior to Reopening May 20

Connecticut businesses eligible to open on or soon after May 20 are required to self-certify to demonstrate they understand and will comply with COVID-19 rules and regulations set by the state. The process is quick and available online at business.ct.gov/recovery.

Businesses under Phase 1 of Connecticut reopening plans include:

Sector rules for reopening a business are available here.

Upon completing the self-certification process, companies are encouraged, but not required, to download safety signage to display at their business and/or on their website.

Read the full news brief here.

For all of the emergency orders issued by the Governor and state agencies, click here. Watch the Governor's news briefings here, and read the press releases here.

Connecticut reopen Advisory Group Business Roundtable

In case you missed it, the Reopen Connecticut Advisory Group business committee held a roundtable discussion on COVID-19's impact on the business community and how the state plans to move forward.

CVS Testing Sites

I am pleased to hear that CVS Health is opening 12 new COVID-19 test sites at select CVS Pharmacy drive-thru locations in Connecticut.

I appreciate CVS working with us to expand COVID testing in Connecticut, particularly in hard to reach areas - expanding our testing capacity is key to safely reopening Connecticut.

These new sites will utilize self-swab tests and will be available to individuals meeting Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria, in addition to age guidelines. Also:

  • Patients must register in advance at CVS.com beginning Friday, May 15 to schedule an appointment.
  • Patients will be required to stay in their cars and directed to the pharmacy drive-thru window where they will be provided with a test kit and given instructions; a CVS Pharmacy team member will observe the self-swab process to ensure it is done properly.
  • Tests will be sent to an independent, third-party lab for processing and the results will be available in approximately three days.

Testing will not take place inside any retail locations. CVS Pharmacy, HealthHUB and MinuteClinic will continue to serve customers and patients.

The new testing sites in Connecticut include:

  • CVS Pharmacy, 1 Hawley Lane, Stratford, CT
  • CVS Pharmacy, 7 Durant Avenue, Bethel, CT
  • CVS Pharmacy, 905 South Main Street, Cheshire, CT
  • CVS Pharmacy, 3514 Main Street, Coventry, CT
  • CVS Pharmacy, 54 East High Street, East Hampton, CT
  • CVS Pharmacy, 875 Enfield Street, Enfield, CT
  • CVS Pharmacy, 2639 Main Street, Glastonbury, CT
  • CVS Pharmacy, 1057 Boston Post Road, Guilford, CT
  • CVS Pharmacy, 479 Blue Hills Avenue, Hartford, CT
  • CVS Pharmacy, 150 Washington Street, Hartford, CT
  • CVS Pharmacy, 323 Cromwell Avenue, Rocky Hill, CT
  • CVS Pharmacy, 525 Buckland Street, South Windsor, CT


I encourage everyone to take advantage of these expanded testing opportunities, particularly if you are in a high-risk demographic or are experiencing symptoms.

There is also a rapid testing center 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. Click here to make an appointment at this center. Learn more here.

It is important to note that Griffin Hospital has a drive-thru COVID-19 testing site, however, patients are required to have a medical provider's referral. Patients with a valid order for the test can call 203-437-6815 to make an appointment.