Mirroring statewide increases in coronavirus cases that continue creeping up in fits and starts, Newtown’s Health District also saw a slight uptick in cases since last week.

According to the latest data, the community logged four new cases since August 20, bringing the total so far to 262. At the same time, the number of Newtown residents lost to COVID-19 has held for nearly a month at 44.

As of August 25 at 8:30 pm, the total of COVID-19 cases reported among Connecticut residents is 52,220, including 50,134 laboratory-confirmed and 2,086 probable cases. Fifty-seven patients were hospitalized with lab-confirmed COVID-19, and 4,463 COVID-19-associated deaths were reported at that time.

The combined positive and suspected case count at that time for Fairfield County stood at 18,667, and county-wide, COVID-related deaths had climbed to 1,413. The state reports that more than 1,095,949 COVID tests have been performed to date.

Local health officials are reminding Newtown residents that ContaCT is Connecticut’s statewide voluntary, confidential software system for monitoring the health and well being of people affected by COVID-19. ContaCT will aid Connecticut’s efforts to rapidly scale up contact tracing efforts and infrastructure to help combat COVID-19 and enable the safe re-opening of the state.

The information collected through ContaCT will be used to help stop the spread of COVID-19 in the community.

ContaCT automates some steps in the contact tracing process, while maintaining safe handling of your information. For those who choose to participate, surveys will be sent by e-mail or text message daily to those who have tested positive for COVID-19 (also known as cases) and persons identified who were exposed and who may be at risk of developing COVID-19 (also known as contacts).

Survey messages from ContaCT will be sent from svc-covid19@ct.gov; text messages will be sent from ‍855-670-0299. If you decide not to participate, officials say you should expect a daily phone call to achieve similar monitoring to what the ContaCT system can provide.

The survey collects basic information on symptoms, the ability to self-isolate, and assesses unmet needs (such as access to food, housing, healthcare, etc), to connect people who are being asked to isolate with the resources needed to be successful. All information collected will remain confidential, and contacts who are identified will not be given information on cases (such as the person who may have exposed them).

If you test positive for COVID-19 and are contacted by public health professionals by e-mail, phone, or text asking you to fill out a questionnaire, officials urge Newtown residents to please do so. This is the best chance to help protect families, friends, co-workers, and broader communities.

Stay home for at least ten days after your symptoms begin; you should be fever-free for three days and start to feel better before leaving your home. If you do not have any symptoms, you should stay home for ten days after you were tested for COVID-19.

If you are contacted by a public health professional by e-mail, phone, or text asking you to fill out a questionnaire as a contact of someone who has tested positive, please do so. Also take the advice seriously and stay at home for 14 days after the date you were exposed.

Locally, contact tracing calls are also being made by staff at the Newtown Health District.

Senior Center Guidance

The Connecticut Department of Aging and Disability Services has released a document providing guidance for senior centers that will allow for the safe reopening of their facilities.

The guidance was developed in partnership with senior centers, municipalities, and state and local health representatives. It is intended to provide senior centers with the discretion to expand the virtual programs and services that they have been providing during the pandemic beginning September 1.

“While we know older adults are considered a more vulnerable population for COVID-19, this pandemic has caused many residents to also feel negative effects from social isolation and loss of independence,” Governor Lamont said. “We believe the many programs offered by senior centers are important to the quality of life for these Connecticut residents.”

“With this guidance we were trying to strike a balance between health and safety and the ability to access programs that support the independence and well-being of older adults.” Aging and Disability Services Commissioner Amy Porter said. “These services provide a critical path to increase social connections.”

“Connecticut’s senior centers have been doing an incredible job at supporting older adults as they stay home,” Dianne Stone, president of Connecticut Association of Senior Center Personnel said. “As anxious as we are to welcome everyone back in, we want to make sure that we do it safely. That is why we are so appreciative of the partnership with the state in establishing this guidance, giving us a starting date and a road map of things that we need to consider as we determine how and when we can safely invite people back.”

Guidance provided to senior centers as they begin their reopening planning includes:

*Capacity limits

*Cleaning protocols

*Use of personal protective equipment

*Contact tracing

*Training and certification

The entire reopen guidance document can be found on the Department of Economic and Community Development’s website under Phase II of the reopen guidelines. Each local senior center throughout the state will be making its own decisions regarding specific opening timelines and available programs.

Travel & Executive Orders

The regional travel advisory among Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York that directs incoming travelers from states with a significant community spread of COVID-19 to self-quarantine for a 14-day period was updated today and now includes Guam on the list of impacted locations. In addition, Alaska, Arizona, Delaware, Maryland, and Montana have been removed from the list.

The quarantine applies to any person traveling into Connecticut from a state with a positive test rate higher than 10 per 100,000 residents, or higher than a ten percent test positivity rate over a seven-day rolling average.

On August 21 Governor Ned Lamont signed another executive order, the 67th since he enacted the emergency declarations, that builds on his efforts to encourage mitigation strategies that slow the transmission of the virus. Executive Order No. 7OOO enacts the following provisions:

Extension of expanded outdoor dining: Extends previously enacted provisions regarding outdoor dining through November 12, 2020.

Modification of the extension of 30-day period of credit for liquor permittees: Modifies the period of credit available to certain liquor permittees so that the maximum period of credit shall be 60 days after the date of delivery.

Extension of eviction moratorium: Extends the previously enacted moratorium on residential evictions to October 1, 2020.

Resumption of certain requirements and deadlines regarding civil and family matters: Amends a previously enacted executive order regarding defaults and nonsuits in civil and family matters.

Lamont encourages Connecticut residents to sign up for CTAlert, the state’s emergency alert system, which provides text message notifications to users. To subscribe, text COVIDCT to 888777.

For the most up-to-date information from the State of Connecticut on COVID-19, including an FAQ and other guidance and resources, visit ct.gov/coronavirus.