Press Releases

02/09/2021

Governor Lamont Provides Update on Connecticut’s Coronavirus Response Efforts

Latest Data as of 4:00PM on Tuesday, February 9, 2021

(HARTFORD, CT) – 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 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 9, 2021:

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 of current COVID-19 hospitalizations:

For a series of interactive graphs and maps that provide additional data, including metrics related to age, gender, and race/ethnicity, as well as data broken down by every town and city in Connecticut, visit ct.gov/coronavirus and click the link that is labeled, “Data Tracker.”

Additional SNAP benefits coming February 18 to 117,000 Connecticut households

The Connecticut Department of Social Services today announced that it will provide $19 million in Emergency Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (SNAP) benefits to more than half of Connecticut’s SNAP-eligible households on Thursday, February 18. The benefits add to the more than $197.4 million in emergency benefits that have been disbursed since the start of the pandemic ten months ago.

Authorized by the federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act of 2020, the extra food benefits will go to approximately 117,000 households that are 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:

• Approximately 117,000 of 215,623 SNAP-participating households statewide will receive the emergency benefits in February.
• With this additional $19 million allocation by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service, emergency benefits are totaling over $216.4 million in additional SNAP assistance statewide during April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December 2020; and January and February 2021, with commensurate spending in the food economy.
• The average emergency benefit amount a household will see on its electronic benefits transfer (EBT) card on February 18 is $155.77.
• All participating households also received their normal SNAP benefits, including the previously announced 15 percent increase from the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 on the first three days of each month they normally do, according to last name.
• If a household is granted regular SNAP benefits on or after February 18 and is also eligible for the emergency supplemental benefits, the latter benefits will be added to the EBT card on a Friday, depending on the date of granting.
• As outlined in President Biden’s January 22, 2021, executive order, the USDA is considering new guidance that would allow states to increase SNAP emergency benefit allocations for those households currently not eligible to receive it. Until this guidance is received, the state is only able to provide emergency benefits to those households not currently receiving the maximum benefit for their household size.

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

For each additional person, add $176.

For example, if a household of two normally received $330 of SNAP benefits in February, $100 would bring this household up to the maximum benefit for its size. This household will receive a $100 emergency benefit on February 18.

For additional information about SNAP, visit www.ct.gov/SNAP.

Providing information to Connecticut residents

For the most up-to-date information from the State of Connecticut on COVID-19, residents are encouraged to visit ct.gov/coronavirus. Residents can also subscribe to text message alerts from the state by texting the keyword COVIDCT to 888-777.

Individuals who have general questions that are not answered on the website can call 2-1-1 for assistance. The hotline is available 24 hours a day and has multilingual assistance. Anyone who is out-of-state or requires a toll-free number can connect to Connecticut 2-1-1 by dialing 1-800-203-1234. This 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.

Twitter: @GovNedLamont

Facebook: Office of Governor Ned Lamont

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