Lamont: 29 new coronavirus cases brings CT total to 223 on 3,100 tests; 43 in hospital, 5 dead

KEY POINTS:

• Since yesterday, an additional 29 Connecticut residents have tested positive, bringing the statewide total to 223. More than 3,100 tests have been conducted in the state to date. Approximately 43 people are hospitalized and there have been 5 deaths.
• Governor Lamont today signed his tenth executive order pursuant to his emergency declaration, taking further actions to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in Connecticut. This order provides broad relief for municipalities regarding procedures, notice requirements, and deadlines for various proceedings and decisions. In addition, it enacts several necessary changes related to Medicare Part D and HUSKY B costs, student privacy, visitation in Department of Children and Families facilities, pharmacy regulations, and corporate meetings.
• The state has received responses from more than 100 entities since launching its request for Personal Protective Equipment yesterday.
• The Department of Economic and Community Development is preparing guidance to Connecticut businesses for implementation of the governor’s executive order issued yesterday directing the statewide closure of all non-essential, in-person business functions. It plans to release the guidance prior to the order going into effect.

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 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 21, 2020:

Data updates on testing in Connecticut

 Since yesterday’s update, an additional 29 Connecticut residents have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the statewide total to 223. To date, more than 3,100 tests have been conducted in Connecticut among both state and private laboratories.

A county-by-county breakdown includes:

Since yesterday’s update, a fifth Connecticut resident has died from complications due to COVID-19. The person is a man in his 80s who was a resident of a nursing home in Stafford Springs. He had been receiving treatment at Johnson Memorial Hospital.

For more data on testing performed in Connecticut, including a town-by-town breakdown of positive cases in every municipality in the state, visit ct.gov/coronavirus.

Governor Lamont signs tenth executive order to mitigate the spread of COVID-19

On Friday afternoon, Governor Lamont signed another executive order – the tenth since he enacted the civic preparedness and public health emergency declarations – that builds upon his efforts to encourage mitigation strategies that slow down transmission of the virus.

Governor Lamont’s Executive Order No. 7I enacts the following provisions:

• Modifications to DSS benefits
  • Suspension of requirements that public assistance eligibility reinvestigations be conducted at least every 12 or 24 months
  • Suspension of copayments for full benefit dually eligible Medicare Part D beneficiaries
  • Suspension of copayments for HUSKY B clients
  • Suspension of limitations on refills of non-maintenance medications for HUSKY beneficiaries
• Flexibility related to the Student Data Privacy Act
• Modifications related to the Department of Children and Families (DCF)
  • Limits on visitation with children placed in the care and custody of DCF
  • Limits on visitors to facilities that treat children or youth with psychiatric disabilities
  • Waiver of in-person service, screening, and hearing requirements for facilities that have limited visitor access
• Modifications to Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) regulations regarding pharmacies
  • Provides pharmacists the ability to refill non-controlled substance prescriptions for up to 30 days in the event they are unable to contact the prescribing practitioner
  • Provides the commissioner of DCP with the authority to waive pharmacy operation regulations
• Suspension of requirements for corporations to hold shareholder meetings in-person
• Procedural relief for municipalities
  • Extends additional budget adoption deadlines
  • Suspends the in-person budget adoption requirement for municipalities
  • Suspends the in-person budget adoption requirement for boards of education
  • Extends municipal deadlines and waiver of penalties related to municipal planning, assessment, and taxation
  • Suspends the in-person filing requirements related to municipal planning, assessment, and taxation
  • Suspends deadlines and makes modification to public hearing and appeals requirements for assessment and taxation
  • Extends new reporting requirements on properties
  • Suspends, modifies, and clarifies certain municipal procedural requirements and time limitations regarding notice, commencement, and holding of public hearings, decisions, and appeals, including land use and other municipal boards.

The governor is grateful for the assistance of the Connecticut Bar Association Land Use Section, the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities, the Council of Small Towns, and the many local officials and attorneys who worked hard to put together the broad package of municipal procedural relief included in today’s order.

State receives more than 100 responses since launching request for Personal Protective Equipment yesterday

Since Governor Lamont made the announcement yesterday asking members of the public, businesses, and philanthropic organizations to consider donating items of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for use in Connecticut’s hospitals and long-term care facilities, more than 100 entities have filled out the donation form expressing interest in giving.

The Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) is partnering with United Way 2-1-1 of Connecticut to collect responses from those willing to make donations. Anyone who has these vital materials and would like to donate them to Connecticut’s medical community should fill out the online form located at www.211ct.org/DonationsCOVID19.

Requests received are being reviewed by staff at DPH and United Way to ensure that the donations meet the needs of Connecticut’s medical community.

Items being requested by the state at this time include:

• N95 Respirators
• Face Masks/Surgical Masks
• Face Shields
• Surgical Gowns
• Gloves (nitrile, or non-latex)
• Thermometers
• Thermometer Covers (if applicable to type of thermometer)
• Hand Sanitizer
• Other Medical Items

Department of Economic and Community Development preparing guidance on implementation of Governor Lamont’s executive order on non-essential business functions

The Department of Economic and Community Development is in the process of preparing guidance for businesses on how to implement the executive order Governor Lamont issued yesterday directing all non-essential business functions in Connecticut to suspend in-person operations beginning Monday, March 23, at 8:00 p.m. The agency’s guidance is anticipated to be released prior to the order going into effect and will be published on the state’s coronavirus website.

Providing information to Connecticut residents

For the most up-to-date information from the State of Connecticut on COVID-19, including guidance and other resources, all residents in the state are encouraged to visit ct.gov/coronavirus.

Individuals who have general questions that are not answered on the website can also call 2-1-1 for assistance. The information line is available 24 hours a day and has multilingual assistance and TDD/TTY access for those with a hearing impairment. The hotline only intended to be used by individuals who are not experiencing symptoms but may have general questions related to COVID-19. Anyone experiencing symptoms is strongly urged to contact their medical provider to seek treatment.