Coronavirus Update-More on Reopening, Unemployment for Self-employed, Fishing, Case Data and Senior Facilities
April 30th –At today’s press conference, the Governor, along with the co-chairs of Reopen Connecticut, discussed several points related to Connecticut’s reopening, including:
- Four phases or reopening with a minimum of four weeks before moving from one phase to another. The timing of the next phase will be impacted by the results of the previous phase.
- Phases will be defined by type of business.
- Plan will include detailed protocols, which businesses must follow.
- 6000 tests per day, or three times the current daily rate, are required.
- Some businesses may be able to open on May 20th, with a focus on those based outdoors
- Recommendations may vary for age groups.
- Social distancing will remain in place until a vaccine, which right now is estimated to be 12 to 18 months away, is developed.
For now, continue behaving as if you have the virus and as if those around you do as well.
Today the Department of Labor launched the system for self-employed residents to apply for unemployment.
As a reminder, the preliminary and incomplete Wilton unemployment numbers shared last night only include initial unemployment claims filed in Connecticut. They do not include initial claims filed by Connecticut residents employed in New York or another state. Those additional claims are not available.
CT DEEP reached out to let us know they would resume stocking fish in the Norwalk River. Fishing is a sport for the whole family and one that lends itself to social distancing. Information is available on the Town’s Environmental Affairs Department webpages or reach out to Director Mike Conklin, an avid fisherman himself. As many employees are working from home, email is the best means of communication.
The good news continues with more declines in hospitalizations, both statewide and in Fairfield County. Statewide hospitalizations, meaning the number of Coronavirus patients hospitalized, are down by 41 to 1,650. In Fairfield County, the number is down by 26 to 565.
Today, CT DPH reports 27,700 cumulative laboratory-confirmed statewide cases with 11,294 or 41% in Fairfield County and 156 in Wilton. 462 cases have not yet been assigned to a municipality. The three day increase in Fairfield County cases is slightly lower than the previous three-day increase. Deaths rose to 2,257 statewide and to 810 in Fairfield County.
The State is reporting 31 Coronavirus deaths for Wilton. This is 11 more than those on record with the Town Clerk for the 48-day period from March 13th through today. There are a number of possible reasons for the discrepancy, as in order to produce timely data, the state is receiving data from multiple sources, not the traditional reporting process. During that same time period there is a slight dip in Wilton’s non-Coronavirus mortality rate. The State is performing testing post mortem and identifying asymptomatic cases. This might account for the dip. Wilton’s per capita rate is reflective of our higher number of nursing and senior facilities versus some neighboring communities, as the ages for those who have died ranged from 69 to 96. Today the Governor provided updated reporting on nursing homes and assisted living facilities. There may be misclassification between the two types of facilities for Wilton.
Nursing and assisted living facilities and their residents are by their nature at higher risk due to residents’ ages and underlying health conditions, a high level of physical contact to perform required services and their density. As previously shared, the Wilton Health Department has assisted these facilities with training and recommendations as to procedures and by providing protective equipment and nursing staff, where needed. The State recently favorably inspected our one nursing home. With testing materials more readily available, nursing homes will begin testing of employees and residents to identify both active and asymptomatic Coronavirus cases. Identifying those who are asymptomatic is critical, as they unknowingly can spread the virus.
Today the Governor issued Executive Order 7GG, which includes various topics, most of which related to state operations.
As always, if you have any questions, please email the appropriate town department or me at lynne.vanderslice@wiltonct.org.
Thank you,
Lynne Vanderslice
First Selectwoman
What should you do to stop the spread?
- Stay home.
- Maintain a distance of 6 feet between you and another person. This standard applies whether inside or outside.
- Wear a mask when in public.
- Respect the Governor’s prohibition on social or recreational gatherings of more than 5 people, including leisure gatherings.
- Consolidate your shopping and errands to minimize the numbers of days you must leave your home. If the store parking lot is more than half full, return home and shop at another time.
- Take advantage of the delivery options offered by many Wilton businesses.
- Practice your team sport on your own, not with your teammates. The internet is full of videos and suggestions on how to do this.
- Do walk outside. If your street is walkable, please consider walking there rather than a public trail. When the NRVT parking lot, or that of another trail, is more than 50% full, please find another place to walk. There are 127 miles of town-owned roads, more than 80 private roads and more than 3 miles of sidewalk on state-owned roads.
- Please respect the town’s closure of fields and recreation facilities.
Visual of Connecticut Cases by Town