School Sisters of Notre Dame Property and Facilities Closed to Visitors

Wilton’s Health Director ordered the School Sisters of Notre Dame (SSND) property and facilities closed to visitors and the public after 30 residents received positive tests results, as did members of the staff.  Neighbors, who walk the property, should discontinue doing so. 

At the request of Wilton’s Health Director, a CT Department of Health COVID-19 Response Team is assisting with the situation and will be onsite beginning tomorrow, January 25th.

The property is home to over 70 retired nuns, 15 of whom recently received vaccinations as allowed under Phase 1B.  The remaining residents and staff were scheduled to be vaccinated on January 25th by Visiting Nurse and Hospice of Fairfield County. As a non-licensed facility, residents and staff were not eligible to be vaccinated under Phase 1A.  Town of Wilton staff and Visiting Nurse & Hospice of Fairfield County worked with the SSND management to obtain permission to perform the planned onsite vaccinations.  We are all saddened the outbreak happened prior to those vaccinations.

Residents, along with SSND management, have been diligent throughout the pandemic. Prior to this outbreak, only one resident had tested positive early in the pandemic.  At that time, a section of the facility, that was previously dedicated as an Alternate Site for COVID-19 related emergencies, was placed into operation by the management at SSND to isolate and monitor those residents that had been exposed. Wilton’s Health Director worked with SSND management to adopt and implement mitigation strategies.

Contact tracing is ongoing by Wilton’s Health Department and the health departments of communities where impacted staff members live.  At this point, there is no evidence of related community spread within Wilton.

Please keep this special community of nuns in your thoughts.  The community has been in Wilton for 60 years and educated many former Wilton students.

All Wilton residents are asked to be extra vigilant over the next few weeks.

Lynne Vanderslice

First Selectwoman

Town of Wilton