Although it is certain that COVID-19 is spreading into the state and particularly southwestern Connecticut, local officials are scrambling to help protect Newtown residents as best they can, considering numerous uncertainties regarding the outbreak that has now been classified by global health leaders as a pandemic.

So what does that mean? From a clinical and technical angle, “pandemic” has nothing to do with how serious the illness is. It just means a disease is spreading widely.

The head of the World Health Organization, which made the declaration Wednesday, March 11, said the UN health agency is deeply concerned about the alarming levels of spread. But at the same time, WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus made clear the declaration did not mean that countries should give up trying to contain the virus, which has — as of press time Thursday, March 12 — been identified in three people in Connecticut.

The latest impact in Newtown is related to how the school district is moving forward. Superintendent Lorrie Rodrigue has been working to keep in contact, updating staff, students, and parents as often as possible in an environment where any given message could be outdated by the time it goes from final draft to delivery an hour or two later.

Dr Rodrigue’s latest notification indicated she is closing local public schools for at least one day on Friday, March 13, and she also sat with First Selectman Dan Rosenthal and Health District Director Donna Culbert late Wednesday afternoon for a video message to the community that is part of a series of outreach clips being shared on The Newtown Bee’s YouTube channel and on the newspaper’s Facebook and Twitter feeds. The latest video can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nR_FbBInIOw&t=277s

In that message she reassured the community about infection controls and disinfecting protocols being followed to date in school buildings and facilities, and on local school transport vehicles. Following the taping, Dr Rodrigue also said, in part, that the district is applying for a waiver from the state of Connecticut to support distance learning that may be counted as regular school days in the event schools must be closed for any extended period.

On Wednesday morning, the first selectman also convened key Newtown staff members and volunteers at the local Emergency Operations Center to discuss preliminary plans to respond as the very fluid situation develops in the coming days and weeks. Rosenthal and Culbert also reassured community members as best they could, reiterating basic precautionary measures.

The first selectman explained that he is taking steps to ensure town employees curtail official travel plans, and requested they also consider cancelling all personal travel outside the immediate area if possible. The health director admitted that it is possible there may be one or more COVID-19 infections in Newtown or neighboring district communities of Roxbury and Bridgewater already.

Nonetheless, she continued to assert how important it is that everyone follow all prescribed measures to protect themselves and others from transmissions. This practice of distancing from others, particularly at gatherings, has triggered massive cancellations of activities and events, which are being updated regularly.

Rosenthal said, immediately, he has canceled a public information session scheduled for Monday, March 16, at the Community Center that was supposed to include presentations by developers with proposals on converting two former state hospital buildings at Fairfield Hills into residential facilities with apartments. The first selectman said he is in touch with those presenters and trying to determine how to move forward with the presentations at a near future date.

A public hearing on the local school and municipal budget scheduled for 7 pm, Wednesday, March 18, along with a subsequent council meeting, is still happening, according to Chairman Paul Lundquist. He said there is typically a low turnout for council meetings and these budget hearings, so he was not initially concerned about a large gathering of residents at the planned meeting.

That said, Rosenthal has already asked all local board and commission chairs to hold meetings only when there is pressing business on their agendas.

The newspaper was notified on Thursday, March 12, that out of an abundance of caution due to the COVID-19 virus, Newtown Senior Center will be suspending all classes, programs, and tours until further notice, with two exceptions: the Mondays AARP Tax Program and the Monday-Thursday lunch program.

Culbert and Rosenthal also said they are aware of a number of false rumors being circulated regarding the virus, and possible town residents who may already be affected. They are urging all residents to consider the source of information before taking it seriously, and recommend residents only seek and subscribe to accurate information coming from qualified local, state, or federal sources.

The newspaper is continuing to follow multiple developments locally.

Italy Ski Trip Implications

Approximately 30 members and travelers with Winterset Ski Club returned from that excursion via the Milan airport last weekend. While they were primarily located during their stay in areas of the country that were less impacted, Milan was under a Level 3 status when the team members and guests departed. The Newtown Bee has since learned that less than one-third of that group — as few as eight — are Newtown residents.

Club spokesperson and former Newtown Legislative Council Chair Mary Ann Jacob and her husband were on the trip. Through Jacob, the club released the following statement March 11: “We are grateful for the friends and neighbors who have reached out and offered to run errands, drop off supplies, or just check in. That type of community support is what makes Newtown such a special place to live. Please know we are especially respectful of our neighbors who are the most vulnerable and will continue to honor whatever recommendations are made. Donna Culbert’s support and advice has also been most welcome.”

Jacob, who is self-isolating along with her spouse at home, said they have thankfully, and so far, found the quarantine fairly easy to manage.

“Online ordering with grocery stores, etc, has been very helpful,” Jacob said. “The weather also has been good, so we can spend some time outside in our yards, which is really nice. Friends want to help, so don’t be shy about asking for things you need.”

Culbert said she is counting on those who are returning from international travel to follow general self-isolating protocols dictated by the CDC. “I can only assume there are many people in the community who have returned from travel in recent days and weeks, but at this time they are not mandated to notify our office about it.”

Emergency Responders

Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Corps responders and local paramedics are typically directed on the level of infection protection to utilize on calls by local emergency dispatchers, who are using a specific questions to guide their advisories to EMS crews.

“We have specific protocol set forth from Dr Broderick, our medical [liaison] from Danbury Hospital,” said Maureen Will, director of emergency communications. “We also have guide cards that are specific for infectious diseases that have the protocol written in and approved by again, the medical [liaison]. COVID-19 is taken into account on the guide cards with the line of questioning that we do [with emergency callers], so I guess long answer short, it is a ‘standard punch list’ that has been updated to ensure we are asking the appropriate questions.”

Panic Buying Controls

The newspaper reached out to Caraluzzi’s, Big Y, and Stop & Shop corporate officials, as well as those at CVS and Walgreens, about whether their Newtown stores and other locations are experiencing shortages of stock because of panic buying, or if any quantity restrictions are being implemented.

Only Stop & Shop and CVS representatives responded to the March 8 queries by press time on March 12.

Maura O’Brien at Stop & Shop said, “I can tell you that due to product availability, and to ensure more customers can access products they may need, Stop & Shop has placed a purchase limit on high-demand items such as hand sanitizer and Lysol wipes.

“Customers are limited to five of these items per customer,” she said. “Some health and beauty care products as well as cleaning products — including Purell hand sanitizer and Lysol disinfecting wipes — are limited in supply. At this time, fixed amounts of those products are being distributed to US retailers. As soon as quantities become available to Stop & Shop, we will work quickly to restock our shelves and make them available to our customers.”

Stephanie Cunha at CVS Health told The Newtown Bee, “We are working with our suppliers to meet customer demand for products being sought in relation to the COVID-19 outbreak. This demand may cause temporary shortages for certain products at some store locations and we resupply those stores as quickly as possible.”

Newspaper staff members visiting other local retail stores say it appears there are areas of those stores where products appear to be either out of stock or in low supply. However, one retail representative who is not identified because they were not authorized to speak to the press, suggested stores may also be readying for inventories — which means some items may be stocked in small quantities to facilitate easier and more accurate counting.

Food Pantry Protocols

Lee Paulsen at FAITH Food Pantry said Tuesday that her organization is using the same type of infection controls for possible COVID-19 candidates as the food pantry has previously used to minimize the spread of other illnesses — like the flu.

Although the pantry remains open and in need of food and monetary donations, visitors are greeted by a large sign in front of its Church Hill Road facility, directing anyone who may be feeling sick or exhibiting certain symptoms to summon a pantry worker who will meet them outside and fill their request for food and other products from an inventory order form.

Then, the bag will be brought out to those visitors so they do not risk infecting volunteers and the facility itself. Anyone wishing to drop off food or monetary donations can do so during weekly operating times at 46 Church Hill Road, behind St Rose church.

FAITH is open Tuesdays, 9:30-11:30 am, and Thursdays, 6-7:30 pm. Currently, FAITH is in need of jelly and jam, crackers, solid white tuna, pasta, pineapple chunks, ketchup, mayo, cereal, cookies, pancake syrup coffee, tea, pasta sauce, wet and dry cat food, toothbrushes, and toothpaste. For updated needs, residents can visit the organization’s Facebook page.