LATEST DARIEN COVID-19 NEWS: Continual Updates: April 27 to May 3

News and links on the COVID-19 pandemic for Darien:

LATEST UPDATES: Multi-state supply chain for PPE announced by Lamont and other Northeast governors; Sunday updates from Gov. Lamont; COVID-19 test numbers in southwest Connecticut; Saturday updates from Gov. Lamont; FEMA approves crisis counseling funding for Connecticut.

See also:

• “LATEST DARIEN COVID-19 NEWS: Continual Updates: April 20 to 26″
• “LATEST DARIEN COVID-19 NEWS: Continual Updates: April 13 to 19“
• “LATEST DARIEN COVID-19 NEWS: Continual Updates: April 5 to 12“
• “LATEST DARIEN COVID-19 NEWS: Continual Updates: March 30 to April 5“

Northeast Governors Announce Agreement to Develop Regional Supply Chain to Fight COVID-19

Sunday, May 3 — Amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Gov. Ned Lamont, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the governors of New Jersey , Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania and Delaware today announced a multi-state agreement to develop a regional supply chain for personal protective equipment, other medical equipment and testing.

“This concept is at the heart of the regional approach we’ve established,” New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said.

“With global supply chains continuing to experience a major disruption due to the pandemic, combining the efforts of our states into a regional purchasing initiative will help our states obtain needed PPE and other medical equipment without competing against each other,” Lamont said.

While the states will continue to partner with the federal government during this global and national public health crisis, they will also work together to identify the entire region’s needs for these products, aggregate demand among the states, reduce costs and stabilize the supply chain.

“[T]here was competition among states, private entities and the federal government and we were driving up the prices of these critical resources,” Gov. Cuomo said. “As a state and as a nation we can’t go through that again.

“We’re going to form a regional state purchasing consortium with our seven northeast partner states to increase our market power when we’re buying supplies and help us actually get the equipment at a better price,” he said.

The states will also coordinate policies regarding the inventory of PPE each state’s health care infrastructure should have to be prepared for a possible second wave of COVID-19.

Rhode Island Gov. Raimondo said: “Our healthcare workers should never have to worry if we have enough PPE to keep them safe. Over the past two months, we’ve been scouring the earth for supplies and have worked hard to meet the demand on the frontlines. We know that, in order to safely reopen the economy, we need a long-term supply of PPE for all critical infrastructure workers.”

The participating states will also coordinate policies on what supplies local governments should have on hand for their first responders, and if any requirements regarding PPE for the nonprofit and private sector are needed.

The states will then seek to identify suppliers within the country, region or state who can scale to meet the demand of the entire region over the next three months. The goal of this approach is to decrease the potential for disruptions in the supply chain for PPE and medical equipment, including sanitizer and ventilators, and testing, and promote regional economic development.

“We can exploit our market size to encourage producers to make what we need, we can exploit our financial strength to give that encouragement added weight, and we can exploit the great research institutions and the brainpower in our region to increase our chances of success,” Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf said.

In addition, the states are discussing how to collectively explore emerging technologies on an ongoing basis to take advantage of the potential associated with alternative methods of production for existing products and innovation that would lead to more effective and/or less expensive alternatives.

For example, 3D printers may represent an attractive alternative to manufacturing certain personal protective equipment and medical products.

“We’ll be better positioned to continue tackling this crisis working together with the states around us,” Delaware Gov. John Carney said.

SUNDAY — NO State Statistics on COVID-19 Cases in Lower Fairfield County

Sunday, May 3 — The state Web page with daily statistics on Sunday had this note explaining why there were no town-by-town numbers listed that day: The Connecticut Department of Public Health is transitioning to a new process to make the daily collection of data more sustainable. To facilitate this shift, the report issued today (Sunday, May 3) only contains data on hospitalizations and fatalities. The next full report will be issued on the afternoon of Monday, May 4, and will contain combined data from both Sunday and Monday.

SUNDAY COVID-19 Briefing by Gov Lamont

Sunday, May 3 — As the State of Connecticut continues taking actions in response to the global spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), Gov. Ned Lamont provided the following updates as of p.m. on Sunday, May 3, 2020:

Data updates on testing in Connecticut

The following is a summary of the day-to-day newly reported data on hospitalizations and fatalities 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.

NOTE: As was announced in yesterday’s update, the Connecticut Department of Public Health is transitioning this weekend to a new process to make the daily collection of data more sustainable. To facilitate this shift, the report issued today only contains data on hospitalizations and fatalities. The next full report will be issued on Monday, May 4, and will contain combined test data from both Sunday and Monday.

County-by-county breakdown:

For several additional graphs and tables containing more data, including a list of cases in every municipality, visit ct.gov/coronavirus.

Governor Lamont encourages residents to sign up for the state’s CTAlert notification system

Governor Lamont is encouraging Connecticut residents to sign up for CTAlert, the state’s emergency alert system, which provides text message notifications to users. To subscribe, text the keyword COVIDCT to 888-777.

Providing information to Connecticut residents

For the most up-to-date information from the State of Connecticut on COVID-19, including an FAQ and other guidance and resources, residents are encouraged to visit ct.gov/coronavirus.

Individuals who have general questions that are not answered on the website can also call 2-1-1 for assistance. The hotline is available 24 hours a day and has multilingual assistance and TDD/TTY access. It intended to be used by individuals who are not experiencing symptoms but may have general questions related to COVID-19. Anyone experiencing symptoms is strongly urged to contact their medical provider.

SATURDAY State Statistics on COVID-19 Cases in Lower Fairfield County

Saturday, May 2 — As of Friday, 188 Darienites were identified with COVID-19, three more than the 185 on Wednesday, according to information released by state authorities. (Reminders: Many people are thought to have the COVID-19 virus who aren’t identified; the state says “all figures are preliminary and subject to change.”)

First Selectman Jayme Stevenson has said the state’s numbers for Darien often lag behind the numbers that the Darien Health Department gets. On Saturday, Stevenson posted to Facebook: “5/2 Update: No new cases reported for the Town of Darien today!”

On Friday, Stevenson posted: “5/1 #TownofDarien Update: *189 cases, 11 hospitalizations, 4 deaths *local health department data may differ from state data.” So Darien’s count is still one ahead of the state’s.

• Although the state announced 143 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in New Canaan, the town’s First Selectman, Kevin Moynihan said in an email on Friday to residents of that town that “we now have had 190 confirmed positive cases of Covid-19 in New Canaan among residents and staff at Waveny Care Center and Silver Hill Hospital.”
• It was unclear whether or not all the residents and staff at Silver Hill were New Canaan residents, which could account for some or all of the discrepancy between the town’s and the state’s figures.
• Moynihan also said, “[W]e have one more death of an elderly resident at Waveny Care for a total of 24 deaths. We grieve for these losses and our thoughts and prayers are with their families.”

Here’s the number of identified cases in nearby communities, according to the state government Web page for this day’s Coronavirus statistics:

Stamford — 2,491 cases (31 more than the 2,460 on Friday)
Norwalk — 1,586 (25 more than the 1,561 on Friday)
New Canaan — 143 (one more than the 142 on Friday)
Greenwich — 682 (six more than the 676 on Friday)
Westport — 247 (no new cases, the same number as the 247 on Friday)
Wilton — 160 (one more than the 159 on Friday)
Weston — 60 (two more than the 58 reported on Friday)
Ridgefield — 180 (one more than the 179 reported on Friday)
Fairfield — 412 (15 more than the 397 reported on Friday)
Bridgeport — 2,099 (46 more than the 2,053 on Friday)

TEN WORST HIT CONNECTICUT MUNICIPALITIES (with total cases): 1. Stamford (2,491), 2. Bridgeport (2,099), 3. New Haven (1,664), 4. Norwalk (1,561), 5. Danbury (1,421), 6. Waterbury (1,388),  7. Hartford (1,154), 8. West Haven (762), 9. Greenwich (682), 10. Hamden (657).

New Canaan Cancels Memorial Day Parade, Independence Day Fireworks

Saturday, May 2 — New Canaan First Selectman Kevin Moynihan said in an email on Friday to residents of that town that

SATURDAY COVID-19 Briefing by Gov Lamont

Saturday, May 2 — As the State of Connecticut continues taking actions in response to the global spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), Gov. Ned Lamont provided the following updates as of 6 p.m. on Saturday, May 2, 2020:

Data updates on testing in Connecticut

The following is a summary of the day-to-day newly reported data on cases, deaths, 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.

County-by-county breakdown:

For several additional graphs and tables containing more data, including a list of cases in every municipality, visit ct.gov/coronavirus.

NOTE: Beginning Saturday evening, the Connecticut Department of Public Health will be transitioning to a new process to make the daily collection of data more sustainable. To facilitate this shift, the report that will be issued tomorrow (Sunday, May 3) will only contain data on hospitalizations and fatalities. The next full report will be issued on the afternoon of Monday, May 4, and will contain combined data from both Sunday and Monday.

Governor Lamont encourages residents to sign up for the state’s CTAlert notification system

Governor Lamont is encouraging Connecticut residents to sign up for CTAlert, the state’s emergency alert system, which provides text message notifications to users. To subscribe, text the keyword COVIDCT to 888-777.

Providing information to Connecticut residents

For the most up-to-date information from the State of Connecticut on COVID-19, including an FAQ and other guidance and resources, residents are encouraged to visit ct.gov/coronavirus.

Individuals who have general questions that are not answered on the website can also call 2-1-1 for assistance. The hotline is available 24 hours a day and has multilingual assistance and TDD/TTY access. It intended to be used by individuals who are not experiencing symptoms but may have general questions related to COVID-19. Anyone experiencing symptoms is strongly urged to contact their medical provider.

FEMA Approves Crisis Counseling Funding for Connecticut: Lamont

Friday, May 1 — Governor Ned Lamont today announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has approved another portion of his ongoing request for disaster assistance as part of the State of Connecticut’s Major Disaster Declaration due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Today’s approval includes funding for crisis counseling under the individual assistance category, which will help support mental health initiatives designed to benefit individuals affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Previously, FEMA approved Governor Lamont’s request for public assistance for Connecticut, allowing impacted state agencies, municipalities, and tribal nations in all eight of the state’s counties to be reimbursed by the federal government for 75 percent of the costs associated with their response and emergency protective measures.

A supplemental request from the governor to increase that reimbursement to 100 percent is still pending.

Other requests by Governor Lamont for individual assistance remain under review by FEMA, including in the categories of disaster unemployment assistance, disaster case management, disaster legal services, child care assistance, and funeral assistance.

“This pandemic is having an impact on nearly every segment of our society and daily lives, and that includes mental health services,” Lamont said. “Approval in this category of aid will mean a lot to so many people living in our state, and I appreciate FEMA’s approval. I also thank the members of Connecticut’s Congressional delegation who have been helping to advocate for this aid on our behalf.”

**Download: Notification from FEMA to the State of Connecticut on approval of disaster assistance for crisis counseling

FRIDAY COVID-19 Briefing by Gov Lamont

Friday, May 1 — As the State of Connecticut continues taking actions in response to the global spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), Governor Ned Lamont provided the following updates as of 5 p.m. on Friday, May 1, 2020:

Data updates on testing in Connecticut

The following is a summary of the day-to-day newly reported data on cases, deaths, 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.

County-by-county breakdown:

For several additional graphs and tables containing more data, including a list of cases in every municipality, visit ct.gov/coronavirus.

Governor Lamont signs 35^th executive order to mitigate the spread of COVID-19

Governor Lamont today signed another executive order – the 35^th 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. 7HH enacts the following provisions:

1. Mandatory suspension of annual town meeting or referendum to adopt budget: This clarifies that going forward, the relevant elected body or bodies in each municipality must adopt a budget for 2020-2021 without an in-person vote by residents. It also validates any budget referendum or annual town meeting that has already been conducted. This order clarifies Executive Order No. 7I, Section 13, to provide uniformity and consistency, and prioritize safety while the risk of transmission of COVID-19 in large gatherings remains high.
2. Authorization for common-interest communities to hold meetings remotely: This allows common interest communities, such as condominium associations and homeowners associations, to conduct business remotely and hold votes entirely by ballot if their by-laws or governing documents do not already permit it.

SSI and VA recipients reminded to take action by May 5 to receive federal stimulus payments for dependents

While many people in Connecticut have already received their coronavirus stimulus payments as part of the federal assistance meant to help Americans suffering from the financial fallout of COVID-19, Governor Lamont is reminding non-filers who have dependents that they must register with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) by noon on May 5, 2020 in order to have $500 per child added to their $1,200 coronavirus stimulus payment. This includes residents who receive either Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits and didn’t file a tax return in 2018 or 2019.

U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and qualifying resident aliens who have a valid Social Security number, could not be claimed as a dependent of another taxpayer, and had an adjusted gross income under certain limits are eligible for the Economic Impact Payments. While most eligible U.S. taxpayers are receiving their Economic Impact payments automatically, non-filers who have dependents need to provide information to the IRS to receive the additional funding.

For more information on the steps non-filers should take, click here for guidance from the IRS.

Additional SNAP benefits coming May 8 for nearly 100,000 households in Connecticut

The Department of Social Services will be providing $15.4 million in Emergency Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (SNAP) benefits to nearly half of Connecticut’s SNAP participants on Friday, May 8, 2020 – adding to the $32.7 million in emergency benefits disbursed in April.

Authorized by the federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act of 2020, the extra food benefits are going to nearly 100,000 households not currently receiving the maximum benefits allowed for their household size. This means that all households enrolled in SNAP will receive the maximum food benefit allowable for their household size, even if they are not usually eligible for the maximum benefit.

Specifically:

• The Department of Social Services expects that nearly 100,000 of 212,000 SNAP-participating households statewide will receive the emergency benefits in May.
• With this additional $15.4 million allocation by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service, emergency benefits are totaling over $48 million in additional SNAP assistance statewide during April and May, with commensurate spending in the food economy.
• The average emergency benefit amount a household will see on its electronic benefits transfer (EBT) card on May 8 in $150.
• All participating households will also receive their normal SNAP benefits on the first three days of each month they normally do, according to last name.

Emergency benefits will allow the household’s SNAP benefit to increase to the maximum allotment for a household of that size as follows:

(Each additional person: add $146)

For example, if a household of two would normally receive $255 of SNAP benefits in May, $100 would bring this household up to the maximum benefit for its size. This household would receive a $100 emergency benefit on May 8.

Governor Lamont encourages residents to sign up for the state’s CTAlert notification system

Governor Lamont is encouraging Connecticut residents to sign up for CTAlert, the state’s emergency alert system, which provides text message notifications to users. To subscribe, text the keyword COVIDCT to 888-777.

Providing information to Connecticut residents

For the most up-to-date information from the State of Connecticut on COVID-19, including an FAQ and other guidance and resources, residents are encouraged to visit ct.gov/coronavirus.

Individuals who have general questions that are not answered on the website can also call 2-1-1 for assistance. The hotline is available 24 hours a day and has multilingual assistance and TDD/TTY access. It intended to be used by individuals who are not experiencing symptoms but may have general questions related to COVID-19. Anyone experiencing symptoms is strongly urged to contact their medical provider.

FRIDAY State Statistics on COVID-19 Cases in Lower Fairfield County

Friday, May 1 — As of Friday, 185 Darienites were identified with COVID-19, four more than the 181 on Wednesday, according to information released by state authorities. (Reminders: Many people are thought to have the COVID-19 virus who aren’t identified; the state says “all figures are preliminary and subject to change.”)

Here’s the number of identified cases in nearby communities, according to the state government Web page for this day’s Coronavirus statistics:

Stamford — 2,460 cases (121 more than the 2,339 on Wednesday)
Norwalk — 1,561 (105 more than the 1,456 on Wednesday)
New Canaan — 142 (two more than the 135 on Wednesday)
Greenwich — 676 (12 more than the 664 on Wednesday)
Westport — 247 (13 more than the 234 on Wednesday)
Wilton — 159 (nine more than the 150 on Wednesday)
Weston — 58 (two more than the 58 reported on Wednesday)
Ridgefield — 179 (five more than the 174 reported on Wednesday)
Fairfield — 397 (24 more than the 373 reported on Wednesday)
Bridgeport — 2,053 (83 more than the 1,870 on Wednesday)

TEN WORST HIT CONNECTICUT MUNICIPALITIES (with total cases): 1. Stamford (2,460), 2. Bridgeport (2,053), 3. New Haven (1,664), 4. Norwalk (1,561), 5. Danbury (1,393), 6. Waterbury (1,355),  7. Hartford (1,105), 8. West Haven (759), 9. Greenwich (676), 10. Hamden (639).

THURSDAY COVID-19 Briefing by Gov Lamont

Thursday, April 29 — As the State of Connecticut continues taking actions in response to the global spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), Governor Ned Lamont provided the following updates as of 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 30, 2020:

Data updates on testing in Connecticut

The following is a summary of the day-to-day newly reported data on cases, deaths, 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.

County-by-county breakdown:

For several additional graphs and tables containing more data, including a list of cases in every municipality, visit ct.gov/coronavirus.

Updated list of nursing homes and assisted living facilities with residents who have tested positive for COVID-19

The following documents are 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 related fatalities among residents in each facility. The data was reported to the state by each of the nursing homes and assisted living facilities. These lists are updated on a weekly basis.

Governor Lamont outlines phased-in approach to reopening Connecticut’s economy

During his daily news briefing today, Governor Lamont today presented an approach his administration is considering to reopen Connecticut’s economy in phases beginning May 20, 2020.

Here are several slides from his presentation today. To watch the full video of the governor’s news briefing, click here.

Governor Lamont signs 34^th executive order to mitigate the spread of COVID-19

Governor Lamont today signed another executive order – the 34^th 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. 7GG enacts the following provisions:

• Extension of payment time for sealed ticket revenue due to the state: Allows sealed ticket distributors, who must make quarterly payments to the state, to provide uncollected money from this quarter in next quarter’s payment. Many sealed ticket purchases are nonprofit organizations that have closed as a result of the ongoing emergency, thereby making it difficult for sealed ticket distributors to collect revenue due to the distributor for the first quarter of 2020.
• Waiver of notarization requirement for embalmer’s affidavit accompanying death certificates: Permits licensed embalmers who are filing a death certificate for a person who had a communicable disease at the time of death to state on a form that the body has been disinfected in accordance with the Public Health Code by providing a signed statement under penalty of false statement instead of a notarized affidavit. This allows licensed embalmers to more quickly file death certificates with registrars of vital statistics without the in-person contact required for an affidavit.
• Temporary suspension of controlled substance registration: Temporarily suspends the controlled substance registration requirement for out-of-state health care workers who are rendering temporary assistance in Connecticut in accordance with an order from the Department of Public Health.
• Modification of state contracting statutes to facilitate the emergency procurement of essential services: Temporarily waives certain state contracting statutes in order to expedite the procurement of critical services, which may include diagnostic testing for COVID-19, that are urgently needed to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic or that will result in disruptions of care for vulnerable populations during this emergency period.
• Modification of state contracting authorities to facilitate the emergency procurement of essential services: Temporarily waives certain state contracting statutes in order to expedite the procurement of critical services, which may include diagnostic testing for COVID-19, that that are urgently needed to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic or its effects.
• Modification of state construction requirements to facilitate the emergency provision of construction and construction-related services: Temporarily waives the competitive solicitation requirement in order to expedite the provision of construction or construction-related services in response to emergency needs created by the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Extension of existing contracts to prevent gaps in necessary services: Permits the amendment or extension of the renewal deadline of any expiring contract for services until September 30, 2020, provided that the failure to provide an extension would compromise the continuity of state agency systems, operations, or critical services to vulnerable populations.

Department of Social Services preparing new Medicaid coverage for uninsured during COVID-19 public health emergency

The Connecticut Department of Social Services is preparing to implement new coverage for uninsured children and adults in the HUSKY Health program as part of the state’s response to the COVID-19 public health emergency. This will include:

• Medicaid for the Uninsured/COVID-19: Uninsured state residents of any income level may be eligible for free Medicaid coverage of COVID-19 testing and testing-related provider visits. This new federally-funded Medicaid coverage group will cover both citizens and qualifying non-citizens for testing and provider visits incurred between March 18, 2020 and the end of the public health emergency. HUSKY Health providers are advised to retain records regarding COVID-19 testing and testing-related provider visits for eligible individuals, starting March 18 and through the duration of the public health emergency, for purposes of Medicaid reimbursement. The Department of Social Services expects to issue more detailed guidance on this new coverage group, including processes for enrollment and claiming, by mid-May. At that point, individuals who received care on or after March 18 and were eligible for coverage at the time services were provided will be able to receive retroactive coverage.
• Emergency Medicaid for Non-Citizens/COVID-19: Connecticut residents who meet financial eligibility requirements but do not qualify for full Medicaid due to their immigration status, including undocumented individuals, are eligible to receive Medicaid to treat an emergency medical condition. COVID-19 testing and testing-related provider visits are emergency visits that will be covered by Emergency Medicaid. Emergency Medicaid is not a factor in federal immigration ‘public charge’ determinations. The Department of Social Services expects to issue more detailed guidance, including processes for enrollment and claiming for testing and testing-related services, by mid-May. At that point, individuals who received care within the prior three months and were eligible for coverage at the time services were provided will be able to receive retroactive coverage. HUSKY Health providers are advised that coverage for hospitalization will be handled through existing processes for Emergency Medicaid coverage.

Connecticut Department of Labor launches new system today for self-employed to apply for federal unemployment benefits

The Connecticut Department of Labor today began accepting claim applications for the self-employed, many of whom are eligible to collect unemployment insurance benefits under the federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) Program.

Federal guidelines require that self-employed individuals, including independent contractors and “gig” workers, first apply through the Connecticut unemployment system located at www.filectui.com. Applicants must receive a determination notice in the mail from the Connecticut Department of Labor before they can apply on the newly-designed Pandemic Unemployment Assistance online system that will also be located at www.filectui.com.

Self-employed individuals must follow this two-step application process:

• STEP ONE: Beginning April 30
  • File a regular state claim application with the Connecticut Department of Labor at www.filectui.com using the BLUE button to file.
  • NOTE: Self-employed individuals who already filed a claim application through this system should not file again. The agency has these original claims and a duplicate is not needed.
  • After completing and submitting an application, claimants should look for an email from the Connecticut Department of Labor stating, “Thank you for submitting your online application for unemployment compensation benefits with the Connecticut Department of Labor. … Please look for a CONFIRMATION EMAIL notifying you that your claim has been processed. This email will include your NEXT STEPS information including instructions for when to start filing your weekly claims.”
  • Claimants should then be on the lookout for a second email from the Connecticut Department of Labor stating, “Your claim for benefits has been processed! If this is a new claim then we are sending information regarding your claim via US mail.”
  • Claimants should then look for their eligibility determination (Form UC-58 Monetary Determination) that must be sent through the US mail service.
    • If the UC-58 Monetary Determination shows that the claimant has a “zero” weekly benefit rate (which means they do not have wage earnings in the state system) they are not eligible for state benefits and are eligible to file in the ReEmployCT system for self-employed individuals.
    • If the UC-58 Monetary Determination shows a weekly benefit rate, they have wage earnings in the state system and are entitled to collect state unemployment benefits.
• STEP TWO: Once the UC-58 has been received via US mail
  • Go to www.filectui.com and click the PUA button.
  • The PUA system will have a record of the claimant’s state benefit ineligibility status.
  • Complete the PUA application.
    • Applicants will need their 2019 IRS forms, 1099, 2019 W-2s, and Schedule C. Applicants will be asked to provide earnings for 2019, broken down by quarters. Those without tax records for 2019 can self-attest their earnings, but will be subject to audit.
    • Applicants will be asked the date when COVID-19 impacted their employment. Federal guidelines allow this to go back to February 2, 2020. If an unemployed status goes back to retroactive weeks, the system asks the claimant for weekly earnings through the current week filing.
  • Once the PUA application is completed, if applicants did not select a payment method when filing under the state unemployment system, they will select their method of payment (direct deposit or debit card – the agency recommends direct deposit for much faster payment). Payment selection is made by returning to www.filectui.com and selecting the “method of payment” green button.

A frequently asked questions document located on the Connecticut Department of Labor’s website is being updated to include a section on the PUA application process, guidelines, and additional details.

For more information, read the press release issued today by the Connecticut Department of Labor.

Connecticut Judicial Branch expands remote capabilities to include more family cases

The Connecticut Judicial Branch today announced that effective immediately, parties who have an agreement may have their family court cases resolved without having to come to court.

“This is a significant development considering that about 0- percent of our cases are resolved by agreement,” the Honorable Michael A. Albis, chief administrative judge of family matters, said. “We are looking forward to this expansion of cases that we can dispose of remotely, and most important, we are glad that a greater number of litigants will have the opportunity to resolve their cases without having to come to court.”

An executive order by Governor Lamont made the expansion possible. “We are pleased that the Governor’s Office paved the way for this development,” Judge Albis added.

Under the new procedures for family cases, parties with full written agreements in family court matters may request approval of their agreements without having to come to the courthouse for a hearing. The procedure is available to request the entry of final judgment in any action for custody, visitation between parents, dissolution of marriage or legal separation, or any final order on any motion in such a case, as long as the parties are in complete agreement and file all necessary documents.

For more information on how these procedures will work, check out the explanation on the Judicial Branch’s website.

Governor Lamont encourages residents to sign up for the state’s CTAlert notification system

Governor Lamont is encouraging Connecticut residents to sign up for CTAlert, the state’s emergency alert system, which provides text message notifications to users. To subscribe, text the keyword COVIDCT to 888-777.

Providing information to Connecticut residents

For the most up-to-date information from the State of Connecticut on COVID-19, including an FAQ and other guidance and resources, residents are encouraged to visit ct.gov/coronavirus.

Individuals who have general questions that are not answered on the website can also call 2-1-1 for assistance. The hotline is available 24 hours a day and has multilingual assistance and TDD/TTY access. It intended to be used by individuals who are not experiencing symptoms but may have general questions related to COVID-19. Anyone experiencing symptoms is strongly urged to contact their medical provider.

New Canaan July 4 Fireworks? Unlikely, Organizers Say

Thursday, April 30 — Members of the volunteer group set up to organize the “Family Fourth” Independence Day fireworks event in New Canaan are saying that holding the event doesn’t look like a good idea. From NewCanaanite.com:

Members of the volunteer committee that organizes the annual fireworks celebration at Waveny said Wednesday that the popular family gathering likely won’t happen in any form on July 4 and that it remains to be seen whether a postponed event is feasible.

The Family Fourth Committee stopped short of making a formal recommendation to postpone or cancel the event. Yet even in a modified fireworks show—for example, where attendees are told to park on the lawn at Waveny and remain in their cars—members of the group voiced concerns about people ignoring such instructions.

“Here’s an example—the parks got closed for a reason,” Committee member Wendy Dixon Fog, who also is a volunteer EMT with New Canaan Emergency Medical Services, said during the meeting, held via videoconference.

“And they got closed because people refused to social distance and you had a lacrosse game and you had a little bumble bee soccer game and these parents were already told, ‘Social distancing, no games.’ So if we can’t control what they are doing in small numbers, I don’t know how we are going to be able to do this.”

WEDNESDAY COVID-19 Briefing by Gov Lamont

Wednesday, April 29 — As the State of Connecticut continues taking actions in response to the global spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), Gov. Ned Lamont provided the following update as of 6 p.m. on Wednesday, April 29, 2020:

Data updates on testing in Connecticut

The following is a summary of the day-to-day newly reported data on cases, deaths, 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.

County-by-county breakdown:

For several additional graphs and tables containing more data, including a list of cases in every municipality, visit ct.gov/coronavirus.

Connecticut Labor Department launches website to track unemployment data, providing valuable planning tool for state and municipal governments

The Connecticut Department of Labor today launched a website containing spreadsheets that breaks down information on people who have filed for unemployment in the state by age, industry, gender, and town. The public release of the information will provide a valuable insight to municipal and state governments for planning and budgeting purposes, and for developing responsible strategies for re-opening the state during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The website – www1.ctdol.state.ct.us/lmi/claimsdata.asp – was developed by the agency’s Office of Research in an effort to track unemployment data from January 2015 to April 2020. Due to the large number of unemployment claims being processed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the April 2020 data is preliminary only.

“This site records processed initial claims, and includes statewide and town-by-town unemployment claims data that can serve as a tool for those municipal leaders looking for information that can help them with determining town budgets or those industries that may need more assistance in returning to business as usual,” Connecticut Labor Commissioner Kurt Westby said. “With so many unemployment claims related to the COVID-19 virus, it is especially important for government to use every piece of information to make wise decisions that help our citizens and the state’s economy. As we look at ways to get people back to work in a safe and responsible manner, this data can play an important role in analyzing trends and making future decisions.”

For more information, read the press release issued today by the Connecticut Department of Labor.

Rapid testing site in New Haven continues to take appointments seven days a week

The rapid COVID-19 testing site in New Haven that is operated by CVS Health in coordination with the State of Connecticut is continuing to take appointments seven days a week. Test results are provided within 30 minutes and at provided at no charge to anyone. Anyone who wants to be tested does not need to be referred in advance by a medical professional, however appointments are required prior to arriving at the test site.

To schedule an appointment, visit www.cvs.com/minuteclinic/covid-19-testing.

Governor Lamont encourages residents to sign up for the state’s CTAlert notification system

Governor Lamont is encouraging Connecticut residents to sign up for CTAlert, the state’s emergency alert system, which provides text message notifications to users. To subscribe, text the keyword COVIDCT to 888-777.

Providing information to Connecticut residents

For the most up-to-date information from the State of Connecticut on COVID-19, including an FAQ and other guidance and resources, residents are encouraged to visit ct.gov/coronavirus.

Individuals who have general questions that are not answered on the website can also call 2-1-1 for assistance. The hotline is available 24 hours a day and has multilingual assistance and TDD/TTY access. It intended to be used by individuals who are not experiencing symptoms but may have general questions related to COVID-19. Anyone experiencing symptoms is strongly urged to contact their medical provider.

WEDNESDAY State Statistics on COVID-19 Cases in Lower Fairfield County

Tuesday, April 29 — As of Wednesday, 181 Darienites were identified with COVID-19, the same as the day before, according to information released by state authorities. (Reminders: Many people are thought to have the COVID-19 virus who aren’t identified; the state says “all figures are preliminary and subject to change.”)

On Tuesday, First Selectman Jayme Stevenson, who gets more up-to-date numbers for Darien, announced on Facebook: “4/28 Town of Darien Update: *190 cases, 11 hospitalizations, 4 deaths
*local health department data may differ from state data.”

Here’s the number of identified cases in nearby communities, according to the state government Web page for this day’s Coronavirus statistics:

Stamford — 2,339 cases (two more than the 2,337 on Tuesday)
Norwalk — 1,456 (25 more than the 1,456 on Tuesday)
New Canaan — 135 (two more than the 135 on Tuesday)
Greenwich — 664 (three more than the 661 on Tuesday)
Westport — 234 (one more than the 233 on Tuesday)
Wilton — 150 (two more than the 148 on Tuesday)
Weston — 58 (the same as the 58 reported on Tuesday)
Ridgefield — 174 (two more than the 172 reported on Tuesday)
Fairfield — 373 (eight more than the 365 reported on Tuesday)
Bridgeport — 1,870 (32 more than the 1,838 on Tuesday)

TEN WORST HIT CONNECTICUT MUNICIPALITIES (with total cases): 1. Stamford (2,339), 2. Bridgeport (1,870), 3. New Haven (1,523), 4. Norwalk (1,473), 5. Danbury (1,352), 6. Waterbury (1,236),  7. Hartford (991), 8. West Haven (698), 9. Greenwich (664), 10. Hamden (583).

TUESDAY COVID-19 News Links

Tuesday, April 28 — 

Hartford Courant: “Connecticut’s new coronavirus contact tracing strategy will use cellphones and volunteers […]” — “The state will begin rolling out a high-tech plan next week to identify and trace close personal contacts of those infected by the coronavirus, something considered essential to reopening the economy by enabling public health officers to quickly identify and eliminate resurgent pockets of infection.”

The Day: “Connecticut to recruit hundreds of volunteers for COVID-19 contact tracing” — “The plan, as currently envisioned, will go as follows: After someone tests positive for the virus, that person will be contacted by phone, email or text message and asked to fill out a questionnaire listing close contacts and when symptoms of the virus started to appear. Then the person and his or her close contacts will be asked to self-isolate, but that will not be mandated.”

Hartford Courant: “Daily coronavirus updates: Connecticut sees lowest single-day increase in cases in weeks as contract tracing program is announced; second wave ‘likely’ in fall” — “Dr. Matthew Cartter, the state’s chief epidemiologist, said Tuesday that despite the positive trends and discussions about reopening businesses the coronavirus will not simply disappear and that a resurgence of cases is likely later this year.”

NBC Connecticut: “Connecticut Currently at Coronavirus Hospitalizations Peak: Hartford HealthCare” — “The hospitalization rate is the most important metric because it shows the capacity of the hospital systems and whether they will be able to continue to treat patients. […] Kumar said he is most worried about nursing and assisted living facilities.”

U.S. Sen Chris Murphy Praises Federal Support for Students with Disabilities During the Pandemic

Tuesday, April 28 — An announcement from Sen. Chris Murphy’s office:

U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy (R-La.), M.D., both members of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pension Committee, on Tuesday released a statement in response to the U.S. Department of Education’s recommendation that essential rights of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act remain intact during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It’s good news that Secretary DeVos heeded our call to protect the core rights and tenets of the Individuals and Disabilities Education Act. Students with disabilities and their families have been pushed to the brink by COVID-19, and we need to ensure they still receive support during distance learning and additional services after schools reopen,” said Murphy.

“The next step is making sure states and school districts have the resources they need to deliver on these recommendations. That’s why Senator Cassidy and I will be fighting for $10 billion in additional funding to make sure that students have what they need to learn at home, and are able to get back on track when schools reopen.”

“I commend Secretary DeVos for her commitment to uphold the core tenets of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).  Her sound recommendations are welcomed,” said Dr. Cassidy.

Last week, Murphy and Cassidy released bipartisan principles to support students with disabilities to ensure they receive full and equitable educational services throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. They included these principles in a letter to U.S. Department of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos to ask for clear guidance to protect the needs of students with disabilities during and following nationwide school closures.

TUESDAY (Unusually Short) COVID-19 Briefing by Gov Lamont

Tuesday, April 28 — As the State of Connecticut continues taking actions in response to the global spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), Gov. Ned Lamont provided the following updates as of 7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 28, 2020:

Data updates on testing in Connecticut

The following is a summary of the day-to-day newly reported data on cases, deaths, 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.

County-by-county breakdown:

For several additional graphs and tables containing more data, including a list of cases in every municipality, visit ct.gov/coronavirus.

Connecticut Department of Labor begins issuing supplemental $600 stimulus payments for unemployment benefits

[Editor’s note: This part of the announcement repeats the news release published by Darienite.com this day, lower in this article.]

TUESDAY State Statistics on COVID-19 Cases in Lower Fairfield County

Tuesday, April 28 — As of Tuesday, 181 Darienites were identified with COVID-19, one more than the day before, according to information released by state authorities. (Reminders: Many people are thought to have the COVID-19 virus who aren’t identified; the state says “all figures are preliminary and subject to change.”)

First Selectman Jayme Stevenson, who gets more up-to-date numbers for Darien, announced on Facebook: “4/28 Town of Darien Update: *190 cases, 11 hospitalizations, 4 deaths
*local health department data may differ from state data.”

Here’s the number of identified cases in nearby communities, according to the state government Web page for this day’s Coronavirus statistics:

Stamford — 2,337 cases (22 more than the 2,315 on Monday)
Norwalk — 1,456 (25 more than the 1,431 on Monday)
New Canaan — 135 (two more than the 133 on Monday)
Greenwich — 661 (27 more than the 634 on Monday)
Westport — 233 (no increase; the same as the 233 on Monday)
Wilton — 148 (four more than the 144 on Monday)
Weston — 58 (a downward adjustment of five from the 63 reported on Monday)
Ridgefield — 172 (a downward adjustment of four from the 176 reported on Monday)
Fairfield — 365 (a downward adjustment of four from the 369 reported on Monday)
Bridgeport — 1,838 (28 more than the 1,810 on Monday)

TEN WORST HIT CONNECTICUT MUNICIPALITIES (with total cases): 1. Stamford (2,337), 2. Bridgeport (1,838), 3. New Haven (1,502), 4. Norwalk (1,456), 5. Danbury (1,332), 6. Waterbury (1,213),  7. Hartford (943), 8. West Haven (692), 9. Greenwich (661), 10. Hamden (568).

New Canaan Official’s Nightly Message Has Some Thoughts on Reopening

Tuesday, April 28 — Mike Handler, emergency management director for New Canaan, has a nightly email discussing COVID-19 information, mostly for that town, but tonight he wrote about the factors involved in re-opening of businesses, schools, churches and other public places, especially with regard to hospital capacity in Stamford and Norwalk.

Here’s what he said, which seems to us to be worth considering:

It is 7 p.m. on April 28 and this is Mike Handler with an update.

Many have asked about the metrics being considered to determine how and when to re-open our businesses, schools and religious institutions. It is becoming clear that there will be a combination of factors to consider as opposed to any one binary data point.

Factors such as rates of new infections and mortality, extensive testing and contact tracing have all been discussed. One metric that is gaining the attention of state leaders is hospital capacity.

The CDC has issued guidance that fourteen consecutive days of declining hospitalizations is an important criterion in determining when it is deemed “safe” to reengage portions of our economy.

To put this into a local context, the State of Connecticut has experienced five consecutive declines in hospitalizations statewide. Stamford and Norwalk Hospitals appear to have plateaued and have experienced modest sporadic decreases; but, they have not yet experienced consistent net declines. What this means for Fairfield County remains to be seen and we will certainly keep you informed of any new developments.

Regardless, the discussion is clearly shifting to a phased re-opening of portions of our economy and we are developing plans to support this effort. This will involve an analysis of how essential a given business is relative to the amount of risk associated with re-opening that business.

Our role will be to see that every precaution is taken to ensure the safest possible interactions for those businesses that are permitted to re-open. It should be expected that re-opening phases will roll out to different businesses in a minimum of two-week increments.

This is done to provide a window for surveillance of reinfections. Lastly, the state has not issued any additional guidance for Connecticut public schools; so, as of now all schools remain closed until May 20.

For Connecticut Unemployed, Federal Supplement Payments Have Started Going Out

Tuesday, April 28 — Gov. Ned Lamont today announced that the Connecticut Department of Labor (CTDOL) has successfully programmed its computer system and begun issuing the first round of weekly federal stimulus payments to filers receiving state unemployment benefits, with the first batch of payments having been issued this past weekend.

The additional $600 weekly payment, known as Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation, was created as part of the emergency response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

It is retroactive to March 29, 2020 and will be provided through July 25, 2020. For those who already received unemployment benefits for previous weeks – such as April 4, 11, and 18 — the agency will be providing retroactive payments as a lump sum by the end of this week.

Claimants can check their online accounts on the CTDOL website at www.filectui.com and see the deposits were issued over the weekend. Those who receive payments through direct deposit should begin seeing the additional amount appearing in their bank accounts by Tuesday.

The first $600 payments totaled more than $89 million. When combined with nearly $51 million issued in state benefits, the agency provided $140 million in unemployment benefits last weekend.

“Our Department of Labor worked day and night to come up with the technological fixes to ensure benefits were distributed in a timely way to our residents,” Lamont said. “There are hundreds of thousands in our state relying on our Department of Labor to help get them through this crisis, and the state’s loyal and hard-working team never lost sight of that. This is a difficult time for so many, and I appreciate that these new benefits are being distributed.”

“We are pleased to announce that the additional $600 is being added to any benefit issued this past weekend and onward,” Labor Commissioner Westby said.

“I want to thank the dedicated and talented staff at the Labor Department, as well as our partners and assisting agencies, for the tireless effort put forth to serve the public. The task was complicated, due to a 40-year-old mainframe using a COBOL operating system. Despite these challenges, we have now processed over 340,000 of the 402,000 claim applications filed since March 13.”

CTDOL continues to work nonstop to implement the remaining two recently established federal stimulus programs:

• Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), which provides benefits for self-employed individuals among others, and
• Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC), a 13-week extension that allows eligible claimants to collect the additional weeks after exhausting the 26 weeks of state benefits.

The agency expects to begin accepting applications for PUA on April 30 and plans to have PEUC in operation by mid-May. Both programs will be retroactive.

MONDAY State Statistics on COVID-19 Cases in Lower Fairfield County

Monday, April 27 — As of Monday, 180 Darienites were identified with COVID-19, two more than the day before, according to information released by state authorities. (Reminders: Many people are thought to have the COVID-19 virus who aren’t identified; the state says “all figures are preliminary and subject to change.”)

First Selectman Jayme Stevenson, who gets more up-to-date numbers for Darien, said on Facebook that the town has been told there are 184 confirmed COVID-19 cases as of Monday.

Here’s the number of identified cases in nearby communities, according to the state government Web page for this day’s Coronavirus statistics:

Stamford — 2,315 cases (60 more than the 2,255 on Sunday)
Norwalk — 1,431 (22 more than the 1,409 on Sunday)
New Canaan — 133 (four more than the 129 on Sunday)
Greenwich — 634 (nine more than the 625 on Sunday)
Westport — 233 (three more than the 230 on Sunday)
Wilton — 144 (no new cases; the same number as the 144 on Sunday)
Weston — 63 (three more than the 60 on Sunday)
Ridgefield — 176 (two more than the 174 on Sunday)
Fairfield — 369 (four more than the 365 on Sunday)
Bridgeport — 1,810 (105 more than the 1,705 on Sunday)

TEN WORST HIT CONNECTICUT MUNICIPALITIES (with total cases): 1. Stamford (2,315), 2. Bridgeport (1,810), 3. New Haven (1,477), 4. Norwalk (1,431), 5. Danbury (1,330), 6. Waterbury (1,200),  7. Hartford (924), 8. West Haven (680), 9. Greenwich (634), 10. Hamden (559).

MONDAY COVID-19 Briefing by Gov. Lamont

Monday, April 27 — As the State of Connecticut continues taking actions in response to the global spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), Gov. Ned Lamont provided the following updates as of 8 p.m. on Monday, April 27, 2020:

Data updates on testing in Connecticut

The following is a summary of the day-to-day newly reported data on cases, deaths, 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.

*New today: A total of 90,746 COVID-19 tests have been reported to DPH to date. This count replaces the total number of patients tested for COVID-19 and includes persons who were tested multiple times or multiple specimens tested from the same person.

County-by-county breakdown:

For several additional graphs and tables containing more data, including a list of cases in every municipality, visit ct.gov/coronavirus.

Connecticut Office of Early Childhood launches child care program for frontline workers

The Connecticut Office of Early Childhood has launched the CTCARES for Frontline Workers Program, which was created to help frontline workers struggling with the costs of child care during the COVID-19 pandemic. The program provides subsidies directly to child care providers so that children can get the care they need while their parents or guardians are able to get to work.

Under the program, frontline workers include anyone who must work outside of their own home for at least 8 hours a week caring for people or providing in-person direct services and essential goods. Some examples of frontline workers may include:

• Health care workers
• First responders
• Child care workers
• Grocery workers
• Workers at state facilities
• Home/group home care workers (for seniors, youth, mental health, or people with disabilities)
• People who provide in-person services to any of the above

The subsidy depends on the number of children in the household who need care and the number of hours the frontline worker needs to work.

If a frontline employee works 21 or more hours each week:

• For one child, $200 each week for up to 6 weeks
• For 2 or more children, up to a maximum of $500 per family each week for up to 6 weeks

If a frontline employee works 8 to 20 hours each week:

• For one child, $100 each week for up to 6 weeks
• For 2 or more children, up to a maximum of $250 per family each week for up to 6 weeks

This program is ineligible to anyone already participating in the Care 4 Kids program, and there is a family income limit of up to 85 percent of the state median income to qualify. Applications are being accepted from Monday, April 27 through Friday, May 22, 2020. To apply, call 1-800-505-1000.

For more information, including details on who qualifies, read about the program on the Office of Early Childcare’s website.

Governor Lamont encourages residents to sign up for the state’s CTAlert notification system

Governor Lamont is encouraging Connecticut residents to sign up for CTAlert, the state’s emergency alert system, which provides text message notifications to users. To subscribe, text the keyword COVIDCT to 888-777.

Providing information to Connecticut residents

For the most up-to-date information from the State of Connecticut on COVID-19, including an FAQ and other guidance and resources, residents are encouraged to visit ct.gov/coronavirus.

Individuals who have general questions that are not answered on the website can also call 2-1-1 for assistance. The hotline is available 24 hours a day and has multilingual assistance and TDD/TTY access. It intended to be used by individuals who are not experiencing symptoms but may have general questions related to COVID-19. Anyone experiencing symptoms is strongly urged to contact their medical provider.

US Air Force Flyover Honoring

A tweet from Greenwich Police Department announces an Air Force flyover which looks like it will be over the southern end of Stamford, very near Darien, at roughly 12:30 p.m. tomorrow, Tuesday, April 28, according to the map (see below). Here’s what the tweet said:

“The USAF [U.S. Air Force] Air Demonstration Squadron, Thunderbirds, & the USN [U.S. Navy] Flight Demonstration Squadron, Blue Angels, will honor frontline COVID-19 responders & essential workers with formation flights over NYC, Newark, Trenton & Philly April 28.”

This map was published with the tweet:

Where the Image with this Article Came From

This image is from ScientificAnimations.com via Wikimedia Commons:

Art Auction Raises $10,460 for Corbin Cares

Monday April 27 — Darien artist Nobu Miki said in an email that $10,460 was raised to benefit Corbin Caresin her art auction, which ended Sunday. Corbin Cares is a project providing food for seniors and others in need in Darien and nearby communities. Here’s Miki’s email:

I’m excited to report the final results of my auction to benefit Corbin Cares. My paintings raised $10,460!

Thank you so much for your patience, support and generosity.

I had already been half self-isolating and painting with my dogs and cats since I came to Darien in 2003 before the coronavirus forced me to be in total self-isolation just like everyone else.

Total self-isolation has still been tough for me but it hasn’t changed my passion for creating art, and it has actually ended up making me think about what art can do.

This auction showed that Coronavirus hasn’t discouraged this community and it proved that we could unite strongly for a good cause even we can’t see each other in person.

Thank you so much for this great experience – you guys have confirmed my theory that artists can’t save lives but art can inspire.

Please stay well.
NOBU MIKI