Update: April 29 7:00 p.m. – State Response to Coronavirus

Friends and Neighbors,

Governor Lamont this evening announced that the Department of Labor launched a website with spreadsheets that break down information on people who have filed for unemployment by age, industry, gender, and town. The governor also noted that the CVS Rapid testing site in New Haven continues to take appointments seven days a week.

Earlier today, he issued a release urging community stakeholders, municipal officials, community-based organizations, nonprofits, and philanthropic partners, to establish local long-term recovery committees to help accelerate recovery, and expedite coordination with the state’s emergency management structure in the ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

To watch the full video of the governor’s afternoon press conference, please click here:

More information and the governor’s full press release can be read here: https://portal.ct.gov/Office-of-the-Governor/News/Press-Releases/2020/04-2020/Governor-Lamont-Coronavirus-Update-April-29

Connecticut Labor Department launches website to track unemployment data, providing valuable planning tool for state and municipal governments

The Connecticut Department of Labor today launched a website containing spreadsheets that breaks down information on people who have filed for unemployment in the state by age, industry, gender, and town. The public release of the information will provide a valuable insight to municipal and state governments for planning and budgeting purposes, and for developing responsible strategies for re-opening the state during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The website – www1.ctdol.state.ct.us/lmi/claimsdata.asp – was developed by the agency’s Office of Research in an effort to track unemployment data from January 2015 to April 2020. Due to the large number of unemployment claims being processed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the April 2020 data is preliminary only.

“This site records processed initial claims, and includes statewide and town-by-town unemployment claims data that can serve as a tool for those municipal leaders looking for information that can help them with determining town budgets or those industries that may need more assistance in returning to business as usual,” Connecticut Labor Commissioner Kurt Westby said. “With so many unemployment claims related to the COVID-19 virus, it is especially important for government to use every piece of information to make wise decisions that help our citizens and the state’s economy. As we look at ways to get people back to work in a safe and responsible manner, this data can play an important role in analyzing trends and making future decisions.”

For more information, read the press release issued today by the Connecticut Department of Labor.

Rapid testing site in New Haven continues to take appointments seven days a week

The rapid COVID-19 testing site in New Haven that is operated by CVS Health in coordination with the State of Connecticut is continuing to take appointments seven days a week. Test results are provided within 30 minutes and at provided at no charge to anyone. Anyone who wants to be tested does not need to be referred in advance by a medical professional, however appointments are required prior to arriving at the test site.

To schedule an appointment, visit www.cvs.com/minuteclinic/covid-19-testing.

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Governor Lamont Urges Local Governments and Community Partners to Establish Long-Term Recovery Committees

Governor Says Statewide Emergency Response is Most Effective When State-Level Recovery Teams Works Together With Coordinated Recovery Efforts on the Local Level

(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont is urging community stakeholders throughout the State of Connecticut – including municipal officials, community-based organizations, nonprofit providers, and philanthropic partners – to establish local long-term recovery committees that will help meet urgent needs, accelerate recovery, and expedite coordination with the state’s emergency management structure in the ongoing response and recovery efforts from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The governor explained the local long-term recovery committees are needed to ensure the needs of Connecticut’s residents of every background are met, not just during the height of this crisis, but for the long term.

“Responding to a disaster is a shared responsibility that calls for the involvement of everyone – state government, local government, and a wide range of community partners,” Governor Lamont said. “By working together, we can continue to improve the way we support our residents and our communities as they meet urgent needs and bounce back from the COVID-19 crisis. A wide range of partners are ready to work with us on this, including the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities, the Council of Small Towns, and our regional Councils of government, as well as our nonprofits and partners in philanthropy. I am grateful to them all.”

Local long-term recovery committees should be comprised of nonprofit, government, and private-sector partners that have an in-depth knowledge of the communities they serve. Community stakeholders are urged to work through their regional planning emergency teams on the development of these committees. The Office of the Governor, the Connecticut Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security (DEMHS), and the Connecticut Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (CT VOAD) are in the process of reaching out to stakeholders in support of the development of these local coordination structures. Some communities have already coordinated much of these efforts, and others are urged to strengthen their work so that the state and its communities can have one coordinated approach. Information on building these local long-term recovery committees can be found at ctrecovers.ct.gov.

Lt. Governor Susan Bysiewicz will take a leading role in this coordination effort and will be participating in organizational meetings the state is holding for these local communities.

More information can be found here: https://portal.ct.gov/Office-of-the-Governor/News/Press-Releases/2020/04-2020/Governor-Lamont-Urges-Local-Governments-and-Community-Partners

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As of 4:00 p.m. tonight – Wednesday, April 29^th – the state has diagnosed a total of 26767 cases of Coronavirus. Updated virus totals and Town-by-Town statistics can be accessed here: https://portal.ct.gov/Coronavirus

The total statewide number of COVID-19 associated fatalities is 2168.

Latest COVID-19 Testing Data in Connecticut

Updated 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 29, 2020

Total patients who tested positive: 26767

Fairfield County: 10985

Hartford County: 5388

Litchfield County: 919

Middlesex County: 631

New Haven County: 7205

New London County: 540

Tolland County: 427

Windham County: 165

Pending address validation: 507