Coronavirus Update: Latest Information and the State’s Response Efforts
Posted on April 13, 2020
This past Saturday Governor Lamont announced Executive Order 7Y.
The Order implements a medical surge plan for long-term care facilities, which will establish COVID-19 recovery centers in certain nursing homes, and will establishe the first two COVID-19 recovery centers at Sharon Health Care Center in Sharon and Northbridge Healthcare Center in Bridgeport. It also gives authority to Department of Public Health (DPH) Commissioner Renée D. Coleman-Mitchell to create additional centers at other locations throughout the state as needed.
The governor’s Executive Order can be read here: https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/Office-of-the-Governor/Executive-Orders/Lamont-Executive-Orders/Executive-Order-No-7Y.pdf
Executive Order No. 7Y
Governor Lamont signs executive order establishing COVID-19 recovery centers for nursing home residents
Governor Lamont signed an executive order implementing the medical surge plan for long-term care facilities he announced on Wednesday, which will establish COVID-19 recovery centers in certain nursing homes throughout the state that will accept patients who can be discharged from acute care hospitals but are still impacted by COVID-19 infection.
The order establishes the first two COVID-19 recovery centers at Sharon Health Care Center in Sharon and Northbridge Healthcare Center in Bridgeport, and gives authority to Department of Public Health (DPH) Commissioner Renée D. Coleman-Mitchell to create additional centers at other locations throughout the state as needed. Commissioner Coleman-Mitchell said that she intends to authorize the formation of an additional recovery center at Torrington Health and Rehabilitation Center in Torrington, and is in the process of finalizing details for more recovery centers in other locations to be announced in the coming days.
The Connecticut Department of Social Services and the Office of Policy and Management have determined a specific payment rate of $600 per day for the COVID-19 recovery centers, and additional payments of 10 percent across the board for all nursing homes in Connecticut during the course of the pandemic.
The governor also included an updated list of nursing homes with laboratory confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 in the press release: https://portal.ct.gov/Office-of-the-Governor/News/Press-Releases/2020/04-2020/Governor-Lamont-Coronavirus-Update-April-11
State’s third COVID-19 recovery center being deployed at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford
In an effort to boost capacity for COVID-19 patients, the State of Connecticut today began converting the Connecticut Convention Center into a recovery center with the assistance of the Connecticut National Guard. This facility will be licensed for operation and staffed by Hartford Healthcare. The recovery center will house up to 600 patients as they receive recovery care following COVID-19 diagnosis and treatment.
The Connecticut Convention Center is the third recovery center to be stood up by the state during this pandemic, with the other two locations being at Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven and Western Connecticut State University in Danbury.
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-11
The governor’s Executive Order can be read here: https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/Office-of-the-Governor/Executive-Orders/Lamont-Executive-Orders/Executive-Order-No-7Y.pdf
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As of 4:00 p.m. – Sunday, April 12th – the state has diagnosed a total of 12035 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 554.
Latest COVID-19 Testing Data in Connecticut
Updated 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 12, 2020
Total patients who tested positive: 12035
Fairfield County: 5534
Hartford County: 1914
Litchfield County: 403
Middlesex County: 299
New Haven County: 2946
New London County: 190
Tolland County: 182
Windham County: 66
Pending address validation: 501
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This past Friday Governor Lamont announced Executive Order 7X.
This Order contains provisions to protect residential property renters, including measures to temporarily delay evictions, grant grace periods of up to 60 days for April and May rent payments, and allow tenants to use part of their security deposit as partial rent payment for April, May or June in some circumstances.
The Order also extends school closures and other mandatory closure and social distancing orders through at least May 20, 2020. Restaurants, bars and business establishments will continue to operate under the current restrictions. Gyms, hair and nail salons and places of recreation and public amusement will remain closed.
To watch the full video of the governor’s press conference, please click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrkQG4aiBeI
Executive Order No. 7X – includes a provision taking the following actions to protect residential renters during the public health crisis:
- All landlords are prohibited from issuing a notice to quit or beginning eviction proceedings before July 1, 2020, except for serious nuisance, such as physically harming another tenant or the landlord.
- For rent due in April 2020, landlords must grant tenants an automatic, 60-day grace period for payment, instead of the existing 9-day grace period.
- For rent due in May 2020, landlords must grant a 60-day grace period for payment upon the request of tenants. Under this provision, a tenant must to notify the landlord that they have lost a job, lost hours, or otherwise lost revenue or faced significant increased expenses as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- If a tenant has a paid security deposit of more than one month’s rent, the tenant can apply all or part of that excess to April, May, or June rent. Under this provision, the tenant must notify the landlord that they have lost a job, lost hours, or otherwise lost revenue or faced significant increased expenses as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Extension of all previously enacted closures and safety measures through May 20
Also, under this executive order, the deadlines for all closure, distancing, and safety measures enacted to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 that are contained within previously enacted executive orders are extended through at least May 20. This applies to the following provisions:
- Executive Order No. 7D, Section 2, imposing limits on restaurant, bar, and private club operations
- Executive Order No. 7D, Section 3, closing on-site operations at off-track betting facilities
- Executive Order No. 7D, Section 4, closing operations at gyms, sports, fitness, and recreation facilities and movie theaters
- Executive Order No. 7F, Section 1, closing large shopping malls
- Executive Order No. 7F, Section 2, closing places of public amusement
- Executive Order No. 7H, Section 1, imposing safety and distancing measures for workplaces and non-essential businesses
- Executive Order No. 7N, Section 1, prohibiting social and recreational gatherings of more than five people
- Executive Order No. 7N, Section 3, restricting retail operations
Food trucks permitted to operate at certain rest areas to provide meals to truck drivers and other essential workers
In addition, the executive order lifts restrictions on commercial activity in Connecticut highway rest areas and permits food trucks to set up in these locations with the goal of feeding hungry truckers and other essential workers during the pandemic. The directive comes in the wake of recently rescinded federal prohibitions against the commercialization of rest areas nationwide, freeing the states to provide additional necessities.
Governor Lamont reiterated his directive that everyone should “Stay Safe, Stay Home” and restrict themselves to essential travel only. Truck drivers, he said, have no choice but to be out on the road making critical deliveries and pick-ups.
The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) maintains seven rest areas on Interstates 84, 91, and 95. They are open 24/7, year-round. They have food and beverage vending machines and restrooms, but no other travel services. They are distinct from the service plazas on I-95, 91, 395, and Route 15, which have gasoline, restaurants, convenience stores, and other amenities. The rest areas accepting food trucks are located in Danbury on I-84; Wallingford and Middletown on I-91; and North Stonington on I-95.
Food truck operators interested in participating will need to receive approval from CTDOT by filling out a permit application and emailing it to CTDOTCOVID@ct.gov. Operators must have a state-issued Department of Public Health permit to prepare and serve food. Spaces for the food trucks will be marked off at each of the rest areas, and signage will be included strongly encouraging social distancing.
To watch a video of the governor’s press conference, please click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrkQG4aiBeI
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-Signs-Executive-Order-Providing-Residential-Rent-Protections
The governor’s Executive Order can be read here: https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/Office-of-the-Governor/Executive-Orders/Lamont-Executive-Orders/Executive-Order-No-7X.pdf
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Sincerely,
John