Press Releases

08/06/2021

Governor Lamont Provides Update on Connecticut’s Coronavirus Response Efforts

Latest Data as of 3:00PM on Friday, August 6, 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 3:00 p.m. on Friday, August 6, 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 8,296.

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.”

Pandemic EBT Child Care program bringing extra food benefits to over 55,000 young children in Connecticut on August 8

The Connecticut Department of Social Services, in consultation with the Connecticut Office of Early Childhood and State Department of Education, today announced that $31.2 million in special food assistance benefits will be distributed Sunday, August 8, 2021, to the families of over 55,000 children under age 6 enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

Specific information about the August 8 distribution of Pandemic EBT Child Care benefits:

• The Department of Developmental Services will deposit benefits onto existing SNAP Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards on August 8, 2021, to nearly 41,000 households (55,000 eligible children) who were under age six as of October 1, 2020, unless the child already received Pandemic EBT Children in School benefits by being enrolled in the free or reduced-price meals program at their school.
• Benefits may differ from family to family and depend on how many months the child received SNAP between October 2020 and June 2021.
• Each eligible household whose child received SNAP benefits in all months from October 2020 through June 2021 will receive $716.10 per eligible child. Households whose child began receiving SNAP benefits after October 1, 2020, or ended before June 30, 2021, will receive a lower amount.
• The Department of Developmental Services began sending letters to all eligible households on August 6, 2021, notifying them of these benefits.
• Families do not need to apply for P-EBT benefits, as the Department of Social Services uses SNAP eligibility information to determine if children are eligible for P-EBT Child Care benefits.

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 that are participating in CT Fresh Match. Additional information on that program can be found online at www.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. Additional information on that is available at www.ct.gov/snap.

Food budgets can be stretched further with WIC. Households with kids under age 5, new parents, and pregnant or breastfeeding women may be eligible to receive healthy foods, free nutrition education, breastfeeding support, and referrals to helpful resources. To apply or learn more, visit portal.ct.gov/DPH/WIC/WIC.

The Department of Social Services received information from the Office of Early Childhood and the State Department of Education to implement the P-EBT Child Care plan, which was approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service. The P-EBT Child Care SNAP funding 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.

Twitter: @GovNedLamont

Facebook: Office of Governor Ned Lamont

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