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 3:00 p.m. on Friday, July 16, 2021:

Data updates on testing in Connecticut

The following is a summary of the day-to-day newly reported data on cases 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.

Data on COVID-19 associated deaths is updated once per week every Thursday. The most recently reported total number of deaths is 8,282.

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.”

Connecticut’s SNAP-eligible households to receive additional emergency food benefits July 23

The Connecticut Department of Social Services today announced that it will deliver $33.2 million in Emergency Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to over 218,500 Connecticut households on Friday, July 23, 2021. 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 over $373.1 million since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

Specifically:

• All 218,500 SNAP-eligible households statewide will receive the emergency benefits on their electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards on July 23.
• 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 $149 (depending on their specific benefit situation).
• With this additional $33.2 million allocation by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service, emergency benefits are totaling over $373.1 million in additional SNAP assistance statewide over 16 months, with commensurate spending at supermarkets, groceries, farmers’ markets, and other food retailers.
• The $95 increase results from President Biden’s January 22, 2021, executive order, which requires 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.
• All households also received their normal SNAP benefits, including the previously announced 15% increase from the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, 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 on or after Wednesday July 21, 2021, the additional SNAP benefits will be added to the EBT card on a Friday, depending on the date of granting.

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

Next distribution of Pandemic EBT food benefits going to 57,800 schoolchildren, EBT cards being mailed July 16

The Connecticut Department of Social Services (DSS), in collaboration with the Connecticut State Department of Education, today announced that $24.1 million in special food assistance benefits will be distributed on Friday, July 16, 2021, to the families of over 57,800 schoolchildren enrolled in the free or reduced-price meals program and who do not receive services from the Department of Social Services.

This is the last distribution in the current round of $112.8 million in food benefits going to approximately 275,450 schoolchildren through the federal Pandemic EBT (or P-EBT) program. The Department of Social Services expects to begin a second round of P-EBT benefits to all eligible families in August. The benefits will be issued to the electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards of all families who received benefits in the first round.

Specific information about the July 16 distribution:

• The Department of Social Services is mailing EBT cards July 16 to households of over 57,800 schoolchildren not currently enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Family Assistance (TFA), or HUSKY Health/Medicaid; and who did not receive their benefits in April/May. The state agency will deposit P-EBT food benefits into their new accounts on July 16. The EBT cards will arrive with instructions on how to activate them and access the food benefits.
• This includes children attending a school participating in the Community Eligibility Provision, in which all children are eligible for free meals. These are households that do not currently have EBT cards because they are not enrolled in SNAP or TFA.
• Benefits may differ from student to student and depend on the learning model the child was in each month, with an average benefit amount estimated at $418 per child.
• Benefits can be used at any location that accepts SNAP/EBT cards. This includes famers’ markets and direct market farms.  In fact, enrollees can double the value of P-EBT or other SNAP benefits at farmers’ markets participating in CT Fresh Match. Additional details can be found at endhungerct.org/services/farmers-markets. P-EBT participants will also have online access to eligible food purchases through delivery or curbside pickup at participating retailers Amazon, Aldi, Price Chopper/Market 32 via Instacart, BJ’s Wholesale Clubs, ShopRite, and Walmart (more at www.ct.gov/snap).

Altogether, the number of children being served through the P-EBT program in Connecticut is approximately 275,450 in 206,450 households. The number includes 273,251 public school students and 2,204 private school students who participate in the free or reduced-price meals program.

Families do not need to apply for P-EBT benefits, as the Department of Social Services and the State Department of Education use attendance information provided by schools to determine if children are eligible for P-EBT. For more information, visit www.ct.gov/snap.

The Department of Social Services and the State Department of Education are partnering to implement the P-EBT plan, which was approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service. The P-EBT SNAP funding for children who participate in the free or reduced-price meals program was authorized by the federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act, with additional amendments made in the Continuing Appropriations Act and Other Extensions Act of 2021, as well as the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021.

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.