Governor Lamont Provides Update on Connecticut’s Coronavirus Response Efforts

(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 Thursday, February 25, 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 vaccinations administered in Connecticut, as reported to the state as of today:

Connecticut continues to rank in the top four states in the nation for vaccine distribution.

So far, the state has vaccinated:

• 73 percent of its population over the age of 75
• 44 percent of its population between the ages of 65 and 74

Those who are currently eligible to receive the vaccine under Connecticut’s COVID-19 vaccination program include all individuals over the age of 65, as well as all healthcare personnel, medical first responders, residents and staff of long-term care facilities, and residents and staff of select congregate settings. Over the coming weeks, eligibility will expand based on age according to the following schedule:

• March 1, 2021: Expands to ages 55 to 64
• March 22, 2021: Expands to ages 45 to 54
• April 12, 2021: Expands to ages 35 to 44
• May 3, 2021: Expands to ages 16 to 34

In addition, the program will expand in March to include preK-12 school staff and teachers, as well as early childhood providers, all of whom will be provided the vaccine at dedicated clinics specifically set up for those workers.

Information on Connecticut’s COVID-19 vaccination program is available at ct.gov/covidvaccine.

Connecticut expected to receive 30,000 doses of Johnson & Johnson vaccine next week, pending anticipated FDA approval

Governor Lamont announced that his administration was informed by the federal government today that Connecticut is expected to receive 30,000 doses of Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine next week, pending approval of the vaccine by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration, which could come as early as this weekend.

“The addition of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is big news in our efforts to speed up distribution,” Governor Lamont said. “We were already anticipating 100,000 doses of the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines next week. With the expected approval of this third vaccine by the FDA, our total dose allocation next week will increase to 130,000, and that amount should continue to grow each week going forward.”

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: 116 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 116 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 only municipalities in the state that are not in the red zone this week are:

• Bethlehem, Canton, Cheshire, Chester, Coventry, East Granby, East Haddam, East Lyme, Easton, Farmington, Haddam, Hebron, Litchfield, Monroe, Newtown, Oxford, Putnam, Redding, Salisbury, Simsbury, Somers, Southbury, Stafford, Sterling, Weston, Westport, Willington, Winchester, Windsor Locks, and Woodstock, all of which are in the orange alert level;
• Bolton, Burlington, Granby, Middlefield, Old Lyme, Tolland, and Woodbury, all of which are in the yellow alert level; and
• Barkhamsted, Bridgewater, Canaan, Colebrook, Cornwall, Eastford, Franklin, Goshen, Lisbon, Morris, New Hartford, Norfolk, Pomfret, Roxbury, Scotland, and Warren, all of which are in the gray alert level.

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 in the Data Tracker page of the state’s coronavirus website at ct.gov/coronavirus.

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.