Press Releases

05/20/2021

Governor Lamont Provides Update on Connecticut’s Coronavirus Response Efforts

Latest Data as of 5:00PM on Thursday, May 20, 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 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 20, 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.”

Data updates on vaccine administration in Connecticut

The following data represents the total number of COVID-19 vaccines administered in Connecticut, as reported to the state as of today:

*A total of 129,255 doses of the single-dose J&J vaccine are included in all three categories.

All Connecticut residents over the age of 12 are currently eligible to receive the vaccines. To locate a vaccination clinic, visit ct.gov/covidvaccine.

Data updates on variants in Connecticut

The following data contains the cumulative number of SARS-CoV-2 variants that have been identified among Connecticut residents as of today:

Variants of concern

• B.1.1.7 (first detected in the United Kingdom): 2,765 cases
• B.1.351 (first detected in South Africa): 28 cases
• P.1 (first detected in Brazil): 93 cases
• B.1.427 (first detected in California): 62 cases
• B.1.429 (first detected in California): 144 cases

Variants of interest

• B.1.526 (first detected in New York): 852 cases
• B.1.526.1 (first detected in New York): 202 cases
• B.1.525 (first detected in Africa and Europe): 17 cases
• P.2 (first detected in Brazil): 7 cases
• B.1.617 (first detected in India): 0 cases
• B.1.617.1 (first detected in India): 0 cases
• B.1.617.2 (first detected in India): 2 case
• B.1.617.3 (first detected in India): 0 cases

Substitutions of Therapeutic Concern

• E484K: 854 cases
• L452R: 436 cases

For more information on variants, see page 7 of this week’s extended COVID-19 data report.

Weekly update on the impact of COVID-19 on nursing homes and assisted living facilities

The following documents contain the weekly data regarding each of the nursing homes and assisted living facilities in Connecticut that have reported positive cases of COVID-19 among their residents. The data is presented as it was reported to the state by each of the facilities.

Weekly update of the Department of Public Health’s COVID-19 Alert Map: 8 of 169 municipalities in red zone alert level

The Connecticut Department of Public Health today released its weekly COVID-19 Alert Map, which indicates that 8 of 169 towns and cities in Connecticut are currently in the red zone alert level, the highest of the state’s four alert levels.

The color-coded zones include:

• Red: Indicates case rates over the last two weeks of greater than 15 per 100,000 population
• Orange: Indicates case rates between 10 to 14 cases per 100,000 population
• Yellow: Indicates case rates between 5 and 9 per 100,000 population
• Gray: Indicates case rates lower than five per 100,000 population

The weekly alert map is also accompanied by a chart that provides guidance on recommended actions based on the alert levels for individual residents; institutions such as schools, houses of worship, and community organizations; and municipal leaders and local health directors.

The COVID-19 Alert Map is updated every Thursday afternoon and can be found within the Data Tracker page of the state’s coronavirus website at ct.gov/coronavirus.

Governor Lamont signs executive orders as part of ongoing response to COVID-19 pandemic

Governor Lamont today signed two executive orders as part of his administration’s ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic. They include:

• Executive Order No. 12A: Revises the executive order issued Tuesday updating the state’s mask and face covering protocols to further clarify details on mask requirements for high-risk and high-density settings.
• Executive Order No. 12B: Terminates several previously issued executive orders, extends the duration of others until June 30 or July 20, 2021, and makes minor revisions to some of the orders that are being extended.

Connecticut Department of Labor reinstates weekly work search requirement effective May 30

Connecticut Department of Labor Commissioner Kurt Westby today announced that the work search requirement for unemployment benefits will begin again on May 30, 2021. The mandatory work search requirement was waved on March 19, 2020, as part of Connecticut’s public health response to the pandemic. The waiver allowed unemployment claimants to receive benefits even though they were not engaged in work search activities that are normally a condition of unemployment benefits.

“Last spring, COVID-19 infections were rising steeply so suspending the work search requirement was a very important part of protecting public health,” Commissioner Westby said. “Now that vaccine is widely available and we have public health guidance in place to reduce the infection rate, many residents are heading back to work. We’ve seen a steady decline in both the number of people filing for weekly benefits and the unemployment rate – good news for businesses and the economy. Reinstating work search requirements will support the state’s ongoing recovery and reopening efforts.”

Connecticut joins more than two dozen states in restoring the work search requirement and, beginning May 30, 2021, will require claimants to document their efforts to find a job.

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

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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