LATEST DARIEN COVID-19 NEWS: Continual Updates: June 29 to July 5

This week’s news and links on the COVID-19 pandemic for Darien, as they come in:

LATEST UPDATES: Darien Library reopening postponed to July 6 (due to lack of protective equipment) || State’s youth employment funding expanded with federal CARES Act funds

||Governor’s Tuesday COVID-19 update: 16 states now on quarantine list for CT, NY, NJ; continuing education classes for plumbers and electricians can be done online; different types of healthcare providers can now get funding from Coronavirus Relief Fund already used for nursing homes

See also:

LATEST DARIEN COVID-19 NEWS: Continual Updates:

June 22 to 28 || June 15 to 21 || June 7 to 14 || June 1 to 7 || May 25 to 31 || May 18 to 24 || May 11 to 17 || May 3 to 10 || April 27 to May 3 || April 20 to 26 || April 13 to 19 || April 5 to 12 || March 30 to April 5

THURSDAY: Governor’s COVID-19 Briefing

Thursday, July 2 —  Gov. Ned Lamont provided the following updates as of 6 p.m.:

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 REPORTING SCHEDULE: Effective immediately, the State of Connecticut will continue to publish these COVID-19 metric reports five days a week, every Monday through Friday. The report that is issued every Monday will include combined data that was collected on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. This schedule will remain in effect until further notice.

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 and click the link that is labeled, “COVID-19 Data Tracker.”

Updated data on the impact of COVID-19 on nursing homes and assisted living facilities

The following documents contain updated data regarding each of the nursing homes and assisted living facilities in Connecticut that are reporting positive cases of COVID-19 among their residents. The data is presented as it was reported to the state by each of the facilities. If a facility is not listed, that means it is reporting that it does not have any residents who have tested positive. These data reports are updated weekly.

Updated guidance on Connecticut’s travel advisory

As the situation around the country continues to develop, the Lamont administration today updated guidance regarding the travel advisory that was recently implemented for travelers entering Connecticut from states with high rates of COVID-19. If someone arrives to Connecticut from an impacted state, self-quarantining for 14 days remains the best option, however the updated guidance permits travelers to enter the state if they test negative for COVID-19 within 72 hours prior to arriving.

To read the updated guidance, check out the travel advisory section of the state’s coronavirus website.

State launches “Connecticut Respect” PSA campaign

The State of Connecticut today launched the “Connecticut Respect” PSA campaign to reinforce practices that will help reduce the spread of COVID-19. The campaign includes spots filmed by Stew Leonard, Southern Connecticut State University Professor Jonathan Wharton, UConn Women’s Basketball Coach Geno Auriemma, and a lifeguard.

DMV resumes select testing and registration services

The Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) has resumed road testing services for driver’s licenses, as well as new vehicle registrations at select DMV locations. Knowledge testing for motorcycle learner’s permits is slated to resume on July 7, 2020 on DMV’s Bridgeport and Waterbury locations.

The DMV began collaborating with driving schools on June 23, in an effort to reduce its backlog created by the COVID-19 pandemic, and was able to schedule nearly 1,000 road tests through June 30. Customers whose appointments were canceled due to the pandemic are encouraged to reschedule their appointments.

The expansion of DMV services comes on the heels of the department’s reopening on June 23. The DMV now requires appointments for all services. To schedule an appointment, utilize the following links:

• Road Tests (Non-CDL): https://www.dmvroadtest.ct.gov/dmv/do-it-online
• Learner’s Permit Knowledge Tests: https://www.dmvteen.ct.gov/dmv/do-it-online
• Motorcycle Knowledge Tests: https://portal.ct.gov/DMV/Offices/Offices/Make-an-Appointment
• License, ID and Registration Services: https://portal.ct.gov/DMV/Offices/Offices/Make-an-Appointment

For more information, read the press release issued today by the DMV.

Judicial branch plans to resume operations at eight more courthouses on July 20

The Connecticut Judicial Branch announced that operations at eight additional courthouses will resume effective Monday, July 20. They include:

• Geographical Area No. 2 courthouse at 172 Golden Hill Street in Bridgeport;
• The Community Court and Housing Sessions courthouse at 80 Washington Street in Hartford;
• The Judicial District at Meriden courthouse at 54 West Main Street in Meriden;
• The Judicial District at Norwich courthouse at 1 Courthouse Square in Norwich;
• The Judicial District at Waterbury courthouse at 300 Grand Street in Waterbury;
• The Judicial District at Hartford courthouse at 95 Washington Street in Hartford;
• The Judicial District at Tolland courthouse at 69 Brooklyn Street in Rockville; and
• The Judicial District courthouse at 90 Washington Street in Hartford.

The expansion of operations will bring the number of courthouses where operations are currently being conducted to 25.

For more information on this announcement, read the press release issued by the judicial branch.

For additional information regarding overall judicial branch operations during the COVID-19 pandemic, click here.

WEDNESDAY: Governor’s COVID-19 Briefing

Wednesday, July 2 — 

Governor Ned Lamont provided the following updates as of 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 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 and click the link that is labeled, “COVID-19 Data Tracker.”

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.

Darien Library Delays Reopening Postponed to July 6 — Not Enough Protective Equipment Found

Tuesday, June 30 — An announcement from Darien Library:

Out of an abundance of caution, we are postponing our reopening until we have a sufficient amount of personal protective equipment to safely serve staff and patrons. Darien Library will reopen on Monday, July 6. Please check our website for additional information about our reopening plans.

I personally apologize for the inconvenience this may cause you.

Items placed on hold will be available for pick-up in the Community Room starting on July 1st. Follow the signs to pick-up your items.

Summer Reading is for everyone and begins on July 1st. This year you may participate fully online or use paper forms which you can pick up from the Library when we reopen.

We look forward to seeing you again soon.

CT State Youth Employment Program Expanded with Federal CARES Act Funds

Tuesday, June 30 — An announcement from the Governor’s Office:

Gov. Ned Lamont today announced that in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, he is authorizing the state to release $2 million from the Coronavirus Relief Funds to expand the Connecticut Youth Employment Program, an ongoing initiative that provides year-round employment opportunities with community-based agencies throughout the state.

The expanded program will help community health agencies respond to the pandemic by providing critical support and education to marginalized populations that have been disproportionately impacted by the virus.

“Not only will this help more youths gain employment during this difficult time, but it will also enhance the critical efforts of community health agencies in their response to the pandemic,” Lamont said.

“Connecticut has persistent health equity gaps that impact communities of color – this virus and its impact on health and the economy is no different. Increasing our investment in youth employment programs not only helps our young people, but will also make a difference for community health,”

The investment comes from Connecticut’s portion of the federal CARES Act funding.

It will be added to the $4.5 million the state previously allocated for the program, which is administered by the Connecticut Department of Labor (CTDOL), as well as $637,600 from the Youth Employment and Training Collaboration, a collaborative of the Department of Children and Families and CTDOL, giving the program a total of $7.1 million this year.

The Connecticut Youth Employment Program runs year-round and is implemented by the state’s five workforce development boards to increase youth leadership, improve job readiness, and improve economic stability. In 2019, it was funded at just over $5.6 million and served more than 1,700 young people.

“This program offers meaningful job opportunities to young people, helping them build networks, gain experience, and improve their resumes,” Labor Commissioner Kurt Westby said.

“It is our hope that this program will also introduce young people to the important work being done on the ground by our community health partners, and open new career opportunities for them. I applaud Governor Lamont for expanding funding at a time during a vital time.”

Some opportunities anticipated to be incorporated in the expanded program include:

• Virtual outreach through social media to promote safer health practices
• Delivery of educational materials to community and other organizations
• Outreach and assistance to homebound families
• Fostering youth-to-youth connections and acting as social distancing ambassadors

Anyone interested in participating in the program should contact their nearest regional workforce development board for more information.

Joseph Carbone, president and CEO of The WorkPlace, said:

“We look forward to helping local youth explore career opportunities in the high growth, health care industry. I would like to thank Governor Lamont and the Connecticut Department of Labor for facilitating this opportunity to employ youth in positions that respond to the COVID epidemic.”

William Villano, president and CEO of Workforce Alliance, the workforce development board for South Central Connecticut, said:

“Providing work experience at an early age sets people up for success throughout their lives. Any work experience at an early age is an advantage, and health care is one of the better options overall.”

Catherine N. Awwad , executive director of the Northwest Regional Workforce Investment Board, said:

“We are very excited to have the opportunity to promote employment opportunities for our youth and young adults in raising public awareness of the COVID-19 crisis.

“These employment opportunities will serve as the foundation for career awareness and opportunities in the fields of health care and public health. We look forward to collaborating with our regional health care partners to provide a meaningful work experience while raising awareness about COVID-19 testing and risk mitigation.”

Mark W. Hill, interim CEO and president of the Eastern Connecticut Workforce Investment Board, said:

“The Eastern Connecticut Workforce Investment Board is very excited and fully supports the Governor’s COVID-19 Response Youth Employment Initiative. The program will provide meaningful employment opportunities for the youth in our region and state.

“For many participants, this initiative will be their first employment experience and become a foundation from which to develop future careers in the workforce. We are grateful to the governor and his administration for this investment in our community and our youth.”

Mark Masselli, founder, president, and CEO of Community Health Center, Inc., said:

“This employment initiative focused on jobs and support for community-based organizations provides young people the opportunity to learn valuable skills while helping low income communities during the pandemic. It’s a creative approach by the governor to micro target Connecticut’s resources.”

Dr. Bruce E. Gould, director of the Connecticut Area Health Education Program, said:

“Expanding the Connecticut Youth Employment Program at this critical juncture in Connecticut’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic will allow young people from at-risk neighborhoods and communities to be trained to provide essential services in collaboration with federally qualified health centers, Area Health Education Centers, and other community agencies to address whatever challenges remain ahead of us. We look forward to being part of this important effort.”

TUESDAY: Governor’s COVID-19 Briefing

Tuesday, June 30 — Gov. Ned Lamont provided the following updates as of 7 p.m.:

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.

“Today’s metrics, with an all-time high in tests reported and all-time low in test positivity rate, reflect momentum in our testing strategy and discipline from the people of Connecticut to wear masks, keep their distance, and follow our guidelines.” Lamont said.

“At a time when cases are spiking in so many other parts of the country, we need to keep our guard up and not take these numbers for granted, now more than ever.”

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 and click the link that is labeled, “COVID-19 Data Tracker.”

Governor Lamont signs 58^th executive order to mitigate the spread of COVID-19

Lamont today signed another executive order — the 58^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. 7EEE enacts the following provisions:

• Authorization for DSS to provide funding from the Coronavirus Relief Fund to additional providers: Authorizes the Department of Social Services to distribute funding from the Coronavirus Relief Fund to other types of health care institutions in addition to nursing homes, which was previously authorized.
• Online continuing education for plumbers and electricians: Allows continuing education classes for electricians and plumbers to be conducted online.

**Download: Governor Lamont’s Executive Order No. 7EEE

Regional travel advisory updated to include eight additional states

The regional travel advisory between Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York that went into effect last week and directs incoming travelers from states with a significant community spread of COVID-19 to self-quarantine for a 14-day period was updated today and now includes 8 additional states for a total of 16. The quarantine applies to any person arriving from a state with a positive test rate higher than 10 per 100,000 residents over a 7-day rolling average or a state with a 10 percent higher positivity rate over a 7-day rolling average.

As of today, the states meeting the high-positivity criteria include:

• Alabama
• Arkansas
• Arizona
• California
• Florida
• Georgia
• Iowa
• Idaho
• Louisiana
• Mississippi
• North Carolina
• Nevada
• South Carolina
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Utah

This list will be updated on a regular basis as the situation develops across the country. For more information on the travel advisory, click here.

MONDAY: Governor’s COVID-19 Briefing

Monday, June 29 — Gov. Ned Lamont provided the following updates as of 6 p.m.:

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 and click the link that is labeled, “COVID-19 Data Tracker.”

Lamont signs 57^th executive order to mitigate the spread of COVID-19

Governor Lamont today signed another executive order – the 57^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. 7DDD enacts the following provisions:

• Extended protections for residential renters affected by COVID-19: Extends the moratorium on residential evictions to August 22, and extends opportunities for residential renters to apply money from their security deposits to payment of rent.
• Authority to extend statutory and regulatory administrative deadlines by an additional 90 days: Expands by an additional 90 days the ability for state agencies to extend any statutory or regulatory deadlines for filings, decisions, and notice in the many permitting and other applications and administrative hearings under their purview, and requires agencies to post any changes on their respective web sites. This is an extension of the order originally issued in Executive Order No. 7M.

State Department of Education releases comprehensive plan for returning to in-school, full-time instruction for the 2020-21 academic year

The Connecticut State Department of Education today released “Adapt, Advance, Achieve: Connecticut’s Plan to Learn and Grow Together,” a comprehensive plan that will serve as a roadmap for districts as they plan to reopen schools at the beginning of the 2020-21 academic year. The release of the document follows the announcement last week of a framework to allow all students – in all districts statewide – the opportunity to have access to in-school, full-time instruction in the fall as long as public health data continues to support this model.

To read the full plan, click here.

For more information, read the press release issued today by the State Department of Education.

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. Relay services can be accessed by calling 7-1-1.

Anyone who is out-of-state or using Relay can connect to Connecticut 2-1-1 toll free by dialing 1-800-203-1234. The hotline 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.

State Announces Assistance Program for Renters

Monday, June 29 —An announcement from the Governor’s Office:

Gov. Lamont announced today a comprehensive plan to put more than $33 million in state and federal resources to work providing emergency assistance to renters, homeowners, and residential landlords impacted by the COVID-19 public health emergency.

Elements of this plan include:

• $10 million rental assistance program for Connecticut residents impacted by COVID-19, administered through the Department of Housing, which will provide payments to landlords on behalf of approved tenant applicants, with a priority on lower-income households who have been denied unemployment insurance;
• $5 million for eviction prevention to help renters who were in the process of eviction before the declaration of the COVID-19 public health emergency;
• $10 million to provide mortgage relief to homeowners who have suffered impacts from COVID-19 and whose mortgages are not federally insured, administered by the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority (CHFA);
• $4 million in rapid rehousing funds to help people pay costs like security deposits and initial rent to exit homelessness to housing, administered by the Department of Housing;
• $2.5 million rental assistance program for those who are ineligible for emergency assistance through the federal CARES Act, including those who are undocumented, administered by the Department of Housing;
• $1.8 million in funding for reentry and rehousing assistance for people exiting incarceration, administered by the Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness;
• Extending the residential eviction moratorium to August 25, bringing Connecticut’s measures in line with federal measures (the CARES Act prevents evictions from most properties until late summer); and
• Extending the opportunity to apply a portion of any security deposit worth more than one month’s rent toward rental payments.

All housing assistance programs administered through the state and through CHFA will include housing counseling to help renters and homeowners problem solve and develop plans to pay housing costs going forward.

In addition to this assistance through the state, large Connecticut cities received $10 million under the CARES Act Emergency Solution Grants program to prevent homelessness and support homeless populations. The Connecticut Department of Housing is encouraging those municipalities to allocate some of that funding to provide rent arrearage assistance for low and very low-income families that are struggling to make ends meet.

Governor Lamont previously allowed and encouraged municipalities to provide homeowners a 90-day grace period on any property taxes due through July 1. His administration also partnered with local financial institutions to provide mortgagors financially impacted by COVID-19 more time to make their payments.

Governor Lamont said, “The COVID crisis has taken a toll on many Connecticut families. We know that some renters and homeowners are having a hard time paying the costs of their housing. It’s critical that we provide emergency help so that they can stay housed, and to support residential landlords, many of who are mom-and-pop small businesses themselves.”

Lt. Governor Susan Bysiewicz said, “During the COVID-19 public health emergency, housing hardships have reached unprecedented heights. Too many families across our state have had difficulty paying their rent or mortgage due to job loss or decreases in wages. We need to do all that we can to ensure families have the assistance they need to stay in their homes. By working with multiple partners to launch this emergency housing assistance package, we can help relieve some of the financial burden our families have faced during this pandemic.”

Housing Commissioner Seila Mosquera-Bruno said, “Housing stability is critical to the health and wellbeing of Connecticut residents, and COVID has had a significant impact on the ability of many of our families to pay the costs of their housing and maintain that stability. These initiatives, working in coordination with our partners across the housing industry, including legal services, developers, landlords, lenders and our social service providers, will provide a great opportunity to promote stability, and help our families to weather this epidemic.”

Nandini Natarajan, CEO of CHFA, said, “There are many low and moderate-income homeowners with mortgages not covered by CARES Act protections, who need some assistance to meet their mortgage payments. This emergency funding will provide vital assistance, helping them to remain in their homes as they work to regain their financial stability.”

Social Services Commissioner and Acting Public Health Commissioner Deidre Gifford said, “When people lose their housing, they may be forced to resort to living in doubled-up situations or to enter homeless shelters. Science is clear that denser housing conditions and less ability to socially distance mean a greater risk to these individuals and families, and to their communities, of catching and spreading the COVID virus. Helping Connecticut residents stay housed is an important part of our public health response.”

Kiley Gosselin, Executive Director of the Partnership for Strong Communities, said, “We welcome the governor’s action to extend the eviction moratorium and put in place this package of housing assistance. Housing is a necessity under any circumstances and helping the estimated 230,000 Connecticut renter households at risk of losing their housing to remain housed during this public health emergency is a particularly urgent issue.”

Cecil J. Thomas, an attorney at Greater Hartford Legal Aid, Inc., speaking on behalf of Connecticut’s three legal services programs (Connecticut Legal Services, New Haven Legal Assistance Association, and Greater Hartford Legal Aid) said, “We are very pleased that the governor has ordered extension of the eviction moratorium in tandem with the introduction of these new programs to offer rental assistance to low-income tenants. In light of the enormity of the pandemic crisis for both landlords and tenants, we hope that the governor will take additional steps as the need arises.”

Richard Cho, CEO of the Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness, said, “We’ve long known that a stable home is critical to success in reentry. We now know how critical it is to health and to life. We are grateful to the Connecticut state government for ensuring that vulnerable people are not discharged from prison to the streets during this public health emergency, but to a safe and stable home.”

For more information on the resources, please see the following websites:

• Connecticut Department of Housing: portal.ct.gov/doh
• Connecticut Housing Finance Authority (CHFA): www.chfa.org
• Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness (CCEH): cceh.org

About the Photo

It’s from the U.S. Embassy in Fiji website: