COVID-19 Updates 12/18

COVID
December 18, 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 continues to see an uptick in COVID19 cases *

Due to an increase and uptick in COVID-19 positivity rates, Waterbury remains on the Red alert list.
Local and National Data Updates
(Latest Data as of 4:00 PM on Friday, December 18, 2020)
 
  Confirmed Cases    Deaths    Tests Completed
Worldwide 75.9 Million 1.68 Million  
U.S. 17.8 Million 319,933 230 Million
Connecticut   162,782 5,581 3.9 Million
Waterbury 7,050 243  

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

“Almost 2,000 people have tested positive in Waterbury for COVID-19 in just the last 20 days. Friends please be mindful of the fact that, it’s really serious and we must remain vigilant and follow simple rules like wearing a mask. I'm thinking of friends and family members who have lost a loved one during this year due to the pandemic, thoughts and prayers continue for all. Lastly, the vaccine is now being distributed in CT to front-line workers and medical associates who have braved through this. I’m very thankful and grateful for the amazing job these professionals have done during the worst of times, just be mindful it’s not over.”  - State Rep. Geraldo Reyes
Weekly update of the Department of Public Health’s COVID-19 Alert Map: 166 municipalities now in red

The Connecticut Department of Public Health yesterday released its weekly COVID-19 Alert Map, which indicates that 166 of 169 towns and cities in Connecticut are now in the red zone alert level, the highest of the state’s four alert levels.

The only municipalities in the state that are not in the red zone this week are Barkhamsted, Canaan, and Warren.

The red zone indicates municipalities that have an average daily COVID-19 case rate over the last two weeks of greater than 15 per 100,000 population. The orange zone indicates those that have case rates between 10 to 14 cases per 100,000 population. The yellow zone indicates municipalities that have case rates between 5 and 9 per 100,000 population, and those indicated in gray have case rates lower than five per 100,000 population.

The weekly alert map is also accompanied by a chart that provides guidance on recommended actions based on the alert levels for individual residents; institutions such as schools, houses of worship, and community organizations; as well as municipal leaders and local health directors.

The COVID-19 Alert Map is updated every Thursday around 4:00 p.m. and can be found in the Data Tracker page of the state’s coronavirus website.

Lamont administration notifies municipalities on updates to distribution of COVID-19 relief funds

The Lamont administration has delivered a letter to all municipal chief elected officials in Connecticut notifying them that the state will be increasing the levels of financial aid being sent to towns and cities to supplement their response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The funding comes from the state’s Coronavirus Relief Fund, which utilizes federal funding made available through the CARES Act. These changes will reimburse municipalities for their reported and audited costs, establish a grant program for the municipalities, and assist municipalities by offsetting costs related to COVID-19 testing.

To date, the Connecticut Office of Policy and Management (OPM) has reimbursed municipalities for all reported claims through June 30, 2020, for a total of approximately $14.5 million from the Connecticut Municipal Coronavirus Relief Fund Program. Notably, the actual incurred expenses through June 30 were significantly lower than municipalities originally estimated. The program originally was structured to provide funds on a reimbursement basis after the processing of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) claims. Due to the time delays in FEMA claims processing, and to maximize support to municipalities, OPM will be immediately providing a direct $45.5 million allocation of the program’s funds to support municipalities with their costs for the period between July 1 and December 30, 2020.

In summary, the Connecticut Municipal Coronavirus Relief Fund Program funds of $75 million will be distributed as follows:

  • Reimbursed claims through June 30, 2020: $14.5 million
  • Final allocation with expanded usage: $45.5 million
  • Regional testing opportunities for municipal teachers and staff: $15 million

The Municipal Coronavirus Relief Fund grants of $45,498,170 will be allotted based on the population formula below. (For a town-by-town allotment, click here.)

  • 33 percent population density
  • 33 percent population / Adjusted Equalized Net Grand List per capita
  • 34 percent population

Testing has been critical to slow the spread of coronavirus and mitigate its threat to public health, particularly for the most at-risk populations and our educational system. Therefore $15 million of the $75 million allocation has been reserved to expand regional testing opportunities for teachers and staff to mitigate this expense for LEA’s and municipalities and provide increased support for safe operations of Connecticut’s schools.
COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution

Connecticut has prepared for the authorization and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines and is preparing for a phased roll-out. Our goal is for all residents of Connecticut to have access to the vaccination, although this will likely not occur until late Spring or early Summer 2021.

Connecticut is currently working with a broad range of healthcare institutions to serve as vaccine providers, and to evaluate several factors like storage capacity. We are also communicating with community partners and considering guidance from the federal government in finalizing our distribution plan.

New and up-to-date information about the vaccine in the state can be found on this website.

Weekly update to Connecticut’s travel advisory: No changes made this week

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 – is remaining the same this week as no locations are being added or removed. The list 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. 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.

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