Press Releases

09/15/2022

Governor Lamont Provides Update on Connecticut’s Coronavirus Response Efforts

Latest Data as of 3:00PM on Thursday, September 15, 2022

(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 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 15, 2022:

Data updates on testing in Connecticut

The following is a summary of newly reported data on COVID-19 in Connecticut from the past 7 days.

To read the full data report, visit data.ct.gov/coronavirus and click the button labeled, “Data Report.” That website also contains several other data reports, including on the topics of vaccinations, schools, nursing homes, child care, congregate settings, and economic impact.

Data updates on vaccine administration in Connecticut

The following data was reported to the CT WiZ immunization information system as of September 13, 2022.

Total number of people who have been vaccinated against COVID-19:

Percent of people with at least one dose by age group:

• >95% of those 65+
• >95% of those between 55-64
• 92% of those between 45-54
• 91% of those between 35-44
• 88% of those between 25-34
• 85% of those between 15-24
• 73% of those between 10-14
• 50% of those between 5-9
• 10% of those between 0-4

To locate a vaccination clinic in Connecticut, visit ct.gov/covidvaccine.

Data updates on breakthrough cases in Connecticut

The Connecticut Department of Public Health is reporting that as of September 14, 2022, a total of 276,053 cases of COVID-19 among fully vaccinated persons in Connecticut have been identified. Those cases account for 10.03% of the more than 2.7 million people in the state who are fully vaccinated.

For more data on breakthrough cases in Connecticut, see pages 5 and 6 of this week’s extended COVID-19 data report.

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:

• Omicron: 24,783 cases
• Delta: 17,236 cases
• Alpha: 2,525 cases
• Iota: 1,083 cases
• Other: 1,042 cases
• Gamma: 137 cases
• Mu: 84 cases
• Epsilon: 60 cases
• Lambda: 38 cases
• Beta: 23 cases
• Eta: 10 cases
• Kappa: 2 cases
• Zeta: 1 case

For more information on variants, see pages 7 and 8 of this week’s extended COVID-19 data report.

Connecticut’s SNAP-eligible households to receive additional emergency food benefits on September 16

The Connecticut Department of Social Services today announced that it will deliver more than $33.9 million in Emergency Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to approximately 217,500 Connecticut households on Friday, September 16, 2022. Monthly allocations of emergency SNAP benefits are going to all enrolled households, based on continuance of a declared public health emergency related to COVID-19 in Connecticut.

Authorized by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act of 2020, this federal allocation will provide a minimum of $95 in extra food aid to all enrolled families and individuals, raising the state’s total emergency SNAP funding to more than $855 million since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

Specifically:

• All 217,500 SNAP-eligible households statewide will receive the emergency benefits on their Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards on September 16, 2022.
• Households already eligible for the maximum monthly SNAP benefit will receive an extra $95.
• The remaining households that don’t usually qualify for the maximum monthly SNAP benefit because of income or other factors will receive extra benefits of at least $95 but averaging an estimated $156.00 (depending on their specific benefit situation).
• With this additional $33. 9 million allocation by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service, emergency benefits are totaling more than $855 million in additional SNAP assistance statewide over 29 months, with commensurate spending at supermarkets, groceries, farmers markets, online and other food retailers.
• The $95 increase results from President Biden’s January 22, 2021, executive order, which required the USDA to consider new guidance allowing states to increase SNAP emergency benefit allocations for all households, including those previously ineligible to receive it. This increase is expected to be ongoing, contingent on the continuation of the state and federal public health emergencies.
• All households also received their normal SNAP benefits, based on the new Thrifty Food Plan amounts, on one of the first three days of the month as they normally do, according to last name.
• If a household is granted regular SNAP benefits, or has a change made to their case, on or after Monday, September 12, 2022, the additional SNAP benefits will be added to the EBT card on the next Friday, depending on the date of granting.

In light of recent reports of skimming and phishing scams affecting EBT cardholders, the Department of Social Services continues to recommend that clients change the PIN for their EBT cards periodically to prevent theft.

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

Next distribution of Pandemic EBT food benefits coming to the families of more than 27,900 schoolchildren on September 19

Special food assistance benefits under the Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) program will be distributed on Monday, September 19, 2022, to more than 27,900 schoolchildren who qualified for P-EBT benefits during the 2021-2022 school year and who did not receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Family Assistance (TFA), or Medicaid (HUSKY A) from the Department of Social Services (DSS). More than $1.2 million in benefits will be provided statewide, with an average benefit of $46.00 per student.

This is the second distribution of the larger $118.1 million in P-EBT food benefits that will be issued to more than 287,000 schoolchildren in Connecticut during the 2021-2022 school year and the subsequent 2022 summer period. The first distribution, to more than 71,650 schoolchildren whose families are clients of DSS, occurred August 29, 2022.

Specifically:

• On September 19, 2022, DSS will deposit P-EBT benefits onto the existing electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards to more than 27,900 schoolchildren that were not enrolled in SNAP, TFA, or HUSKY A during the 2021-2022 school year.
• New EBT cards will only be issued to households that have not previously received an EBT card from DSS. The EBT card will arrive with instructions on how to activate the card and access the food benefits.
• This current distribution includes students who attended a school participating in the community eligibility provision, in which all students in that school receive meals at no cost to families.
• This single benefit deposit covers the entire 2021-22 school year. A separate benefit deposit covering the 2022 summer period is expected later this year.
• P-EBT benefit amounts are determined based on and depend on each student’s absences due to COVID-19 in each month of the 2021-22 school year and will therefore differ among recipients.
• The average benefit amount in this distribution is $46.00 per student.

The P-EBT benefits are administered in Connecticut by DSS, in cooperation with the State Department of Education. Federal support is provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service.

For more information, as well as a comprehensive list of frequently asked questions, visit portal.ct.gov/p-ebt.

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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