Posted on April 8, 2020
Friends and Neighbors,
Governor Lamont this evening announced another Executive Order – Executive Order 7V
Executive Order 7V requires state agencies develop legally binding rules for safe workplaces, waives fees for permits for health care professions, and allows recent medical school graduates who are waiting to be licensed to respond to the crisis. The Order also allows recently graduated marital and therapy providers and counselors who are not yet licensed to provide services, and adds protection from liability for common law claims for healthcare workers and providers.
The state keeps up-to-date virus statistics and provides a Town-by-Town breakdown on the final page of the daily report, which can be accessed here: https://portal.ct.gov/Coronavirus
To watch the full video of the governor’s afternoon press conference, please click here:
Executive Order 7V enacts:
To watch a video of the governor’s afternoon press conference, please click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMmVTv0Vkf4
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-7
The Executive Order can be read here: https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/Office-of-the-Governor/Executive-Orders/Lamont-Executive-Orders/Executive-Order-No-7V.pdf
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Grants available to Connecticut manufacturers producing needed COVID-19 supplies
Governor Lamont today announced that Connecticut manufacturers can now apply for grants of up to $75,000 to assist in the production of critical equipment and supplies needed to respond to the COVID-19 emergency. The grants, offered through the state’s Manufacturing Innovation Fund Voucher Program, can be used for working capital, new equipment, and other purposes that help companies build capacity or repurpose their operations.
Applications for the funding will be reviewed and approved by the Department of Economic and Community Development, in partnership with the Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology, based on the state’s current needs for medical equipment and supplies related to the pandemic. Funding for this short-term program is limited to $1.3 million and requires a one-to-one match from participating businesses. Learn more about the program and the application process by visiting https://ctmvp.ccat.us.
Governor Lamont encourages residents to sign up for the state’s CTAlert notification system
Governor Lamont is encouraging Connecticut residents to sign up for CTAlert, the state’s emergency alert system, which provides text message notifications to users. To subscribe, text the keyword COVIDCT to 888-777.
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Medical and Non-Medical Volunteers Needed
The current COVID-19 public health emergency is creating a labor crisis for health care facilities and nonprofits across the state that serve vulnerable people on the frontlines. Medical and non-medical volunteers are needed to help health care facilities and community providers continue to provide crucial services.\
Medical Volunteers
Connecticut’s hospitals, nursing homes and medical facilities are in need of medical volunteers. Governor Ned Lamont is urging anyone with experience in healthcare to register on the CTResponds! volunteer registry.
CTResponds! is the State of Connecticut’s web-based medical volunteer management system. This system helps to maintain a registry of volunteers’ skills and credentials available within the state, and helps communities match available resources to an emergency event.
Medical volunteers can register HERE.
Non-Medical Volunteers
Frontline nonprofits – particularly food banks/pantries, meal delivery services, and homeless shelters – are seeing a marked increase in demand for their services.
CT Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (CT VOAD), United Way of Connecticut, and the Office of the Governor have created a Disaster Assistance and Response Technology (DART) volunteer database – “CT DART”.
This data base allows nonprofits to register their needs; volunteers to sign up; and matches to be made between the two to source new labor to support the frontline nonprofits through this crisis.
Non-Medical volunteers can register HERE.
You should not volunteer if you are at risk or compromised
If you are immunocompromised, over 60, are showing symptoms of COVID-19, or live with or care for someone in any of those categories, you should avoid being in public – including for volunteer efforts. Please stay safe, stay home.
Learn more about Connecticut’s Volunteer Needs: https://portal.ct.gov/Coronavirus/Information-For/Volunteers
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As of 4:00 p.m. tonight – Tuesday, April 7th – the state has diagnosed a total of 7781 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 277.
Latest COVID-19 Testing Data in Connecticut
Updated 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 7, 2020
Total patients who tested positive: 7781
Fairfield County: 4136
Hartford County: 1045
Litchfield County: 255
Middlesex County: 150
New Haven County: 1664
New London County: 85
Tolland County: 111
Windham County: 43
Pending address validation: 292