11/25 Updates: Long-Term Care Facilities, Changes to High School Sports

November 27, 2020

I hope you and your family and healthy and safe and have a wonderful (even if nontraditional!) Thanksgiving. 2020 continues to be a challenging year, but we are all in this together - please continue to use my office as a resource and reach out if we may be of assistance. We are constantly working to provide updates and important news as it develops over social media and by email. This is a recap of some of this week’s highlights as well as some information on some upcoming events in our community.

Below you can find information on the following topics:

  • Latest COVID-19 Statistics
  • Increase in fines for businesses in violation of COVID-19 rules
  • Update to state travel advisory
  • Updated Rules Released Regarding Team Sports, Gyms, and Fitness Centers
  • Long-Term Care Facilities
  • Visit to Manchester Memorial Hospital with Sen. Murphy
  • DMV Deadlines Extended Due to COVID-19
  • Small Business Saturday
  • Glastonbury MLK Community Initiative
  • MACC Joy of Community Sharing Program
  • Manchester Road Race Ray Crothers Blood Drive
  • Happy Thanksgiving

For more information about the state's response efforts visit ct.gov/coronavirus. To receive text message notifications, sign up for CTAlert, the state’s emergency alert system. To subscribe, text "COVIDCT" to 888-777.


Latest COVID-19 Statistics
 
COVID-19

Governor Lamont signs 82nd executive order to mitigate the spread of COVID-19

Governor Lamont on Tuesday signed another executive order – the 82nd 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. 9N enacts the following provisions:

  • Additional enforcement authority regarding violations of size and capacity restrictions: Increases fines for businesses found to be in violation of the state’s COVID-19 sector rules and capacity limits to $10,000 per violation. Click HERE to read more about these new fines.

Weekly update to Connecticut’s travel advisory: U.S. Virgin Islands added to list, no locations removed

The State of Connecticut’s travel advisory – which directs incoming travelers from states and territories with a significant community spread of COVID-19 to self-quarantine for a 14-day period – was updated today and now includes the U.S. Virgin Islands on the list of impacted locations. No locations were removed from the list this week. The list is updated once per week every Tuesday.

As of today, the full list of impacted locations under the travel advisory includes:

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

The requirement to quarantine applies to any person traveling into Connecticut from one of the impacted locations. Impacted locations include those – other than the neighboring states of New York, New Jersey, and Rhode Island – that have 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, and countries 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 complete 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, visit ct.gov/Coronavirus/travel.


Updated Rules Released Regarding Team Sports, Gyms, and Fitness Centers

Last week, the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) published updated sector rules regarding team sports, as well as gyms and fitness centers. These rules take effect Monday, November 23.

Some of the new rules include:

  • All team sporting activities, except collegiate and professional, are prohibited until January 19, 2021.
  • All team scrimmages, competitions, camps, clinics, and tournaments including all interscholastic, “pick-up” games, and other informal athletic activities prohibited.
  • “Team” is defined as a group of more than four people jointly engaged in an organized or recreational athletic activity on a court, field, etc.
  • Masks are now required in all gyms and fitness centers with no exceptions.
  • Fitness classes have been reduced to 25 percent capacity.

For the full rules released, click here.


Long-Term Care Facilities
 
With the holiday season fast approaching, the Connecticut Long Term Care Ombudsman Program is reminding families of the current health guidelines and guidance at long-term care facilities, as well as how to make sure our most vulnerable citizens stay safe while celebrating with familiy and friends. Click HERE to read more.
 
For the latest statistics on COVID-19 in nursing homes and assisted living facilities, click the links HERE and HERE.

Visit to Manchester Memorial Hospital with Sen. Murphy
 
Rep. Doucette with Sen. Chris Murphy

 

Wednesday morning, I met up with Senator Chris Murphy at Manchester Memorial Hospital for a tour of the Pathology lab and briefing on their Covid testing programs.  The hospital offers several options for Covid testing including drive-up, and no doctor’s order is needed.
 
We talked about the ever increasing need for more testing supplies and funding for testing, and we are all hoping that help is on the way from the Biden administration and the new Congress.  In the meantime, with the resources available the staff and physicians at ECHN are doing a fantastic job for our community.
 

DMV Deadlines Extended Due to COVID-19
 
The Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) has extended deadlines for Connecticut residents with expiring credentials. See the graphics below for details:
 
DMV GuidelinesDMV GuidelinesDMV Guidelines

Small Business Saturday
 
Our small businesses need our support now more than ever.  Make it a point to shop local in Glastonbury and Manchester this weekend! 
 
Small Business Saturday

Glastonbury MLK Community Initiative
 
Glastonbury MLK Community Initiative

I always look forward to the excellent programming put on by the Glastonbury MLK Initiative - please consider tuning into this one next week that looks back on the forgotten heroes in our country's history. To register, click HERE.


MACC Joy of Community Sharing Program
 
You can help the Manchester Area Conference of Churches (MACC) reach its goal of raising $10,000 in gift cards, which will go towards helping local families in need this holiday seaason. Gift cards to Stop & Shop, Shop Rite, Target, and Walmart will be accepted.
 
Click HERE to visit MACC's website for more information or to make a donation.

Manchester Road Race Ray Crothers Blood Drive
 
The Manchester Road Race Ray Crothers Blood Drive will be held this Friday (November 27th) at Manchester High School from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. There is always a need for blood, so please consider donating on Friday!