By State Senator, Norm Needleman.
I hope you and your family are staying safe and healthy. Here is an update on Connecticut’s reopening plans, and nursing homes. Also, I want to share that AARP holding a national tele-town hall focused on veterans, military families, and COVID-19.
Governor Lamont Releases Rules for Businesses Under Connecticut’s Reopening
Governor Lamont has released documents detailing specific rules that eligible businesses falling under phase 1 of Connecticut’s reopening plans must follow amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The first phase – which includes restaurants; offices; hair salons and barbershops; retail stores; and outdoor museums and zoos – is currently planned to take effect beginning May 20.
The governor stressed that the decision to reopen during this phase rests with each individual business owner – they are not required to open if they do not choose, however if they do they must follow the rules as prescribed.
Documents containing the rules for the first phase of reopening have been published on the state’s coronavirus website – ct.gov/coronavirus – and are also available here: https://portal.ct.gov/Office-of-the-Governor/News/Press-Releases/2020/05-2020/Governor-Lamont-Releases-Rules-for-Businesses-Under-First-Phase-of-Reopening-Plans
State Receives 6.7 Million Pieces of PPE In One Shipment
The state has received a massive shipment of up to 6.7 million pieces of personal protective equipment in the fight against COVID-19. The equipment, delivered over the last few days to the state’s commodities warehouse in New Britain, includes:
- Six million surgical masks
- 500,000 protective masks
- 100,000 surgical gowns
- 100,000 temporal thermometers
Once sorted, the PPE will be delivered to frontline workers, including first responders, hospital staff, long-term care facility staff, direct providers and others fighting COVID every day.
Distribution of PPE has been managed by several state agencies and distributed by the Connecticut National Guard. As of May 11, the state has delivered more than 15 million pieces of PPE to those in need, including more than 5.8 million surgical masks, 956,000 KN95 masks and 326,656 N95 masks, 448,435 face shields, 40,587 surgical gowns, 51,248 pairs of Tyvek coveralls and more than 7.5 million pairs of gloves. Any entity seeking to partner with the state on acquiring PPE can fill out this form on the state’s website.
Free Face Coverings for Essential Small Businesses with Fewer Than 50 Employees
The state is distributing free face coverings to essential small businesses with fewer than 50 employees through a partnership with the Connecticut Business and Industry Association and CONNSTEP. Eligible essential small businesses can request up to two free face coverings per employee by filling out a form available at ctcovidresponse.org.
Updated Nursing Home Visitor Restrictions
The state has updated restrictions on visitation for nursing home residents amid the COVID-19 pandemic, with new standards recognizing the need for residents to hear from loved ones. As of May 9, facilities are now asked to facilitate practical alternatives for communication between residents and their family and other individuals, which can include but not be limited to window visits, virtual visits through digital platforms like FaceTime or Zoom or phone calls; those visits must occur at least weekly. Facilities will contact residents’ family, conservators or legal representatives to establish how visits will be provided; they will be for at least 20 minutes.
Perimeter visits, like visiting through a window or social distancing outside, should be planned to preserve facility safety. Facility staff is asked to assist residents in how to use these solutions and family members in scheduling them. Facilities without the capacity to provide alternatives for visiting are asked to work with the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program to find other solutions.
Department of Labor Update
The state Department of Labor continues to work amid the COVID-19 pandemic, reporting this week that it has processed more than 450,000 of a total 501,735 unemployment applications received since March. That represents more than three years of application activity in two months. Most claims will be processed in one to two weeks, heavily reduced from a peak of six weeks. The state so far has issued more than $511 million in unemployment benefits. Additionally, the state has started administering Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation to eligible claimants with weekly state benefit, which are continuing to be added to every payment; more than $755 million has been issued. For information on state and pandemic-related unemployment insurance and federal stimulus, please visit this link; for guidance on Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, please visit here for a table of contents and visit here for comprehensive filing instructions.
Eastern Equine Encephalitis Response
After last summer and fall’s significant outbreak of eastern equine encephalitis, or “EEE,” state legislators pushed for a stronger response in the future to mitigate the potentially deadly mosquito-carried disease. I am pleased to provide a compelling update on the state’s response. The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, in connection with the Governor’s Office and the Office of Policy and Management, has established a plan to expand mosquito testing and trapping to 15 new sites in Eastern Connecticut this upcoming summer, with new trapping sites selected based on EEE activity in 2019. I am excited about this development and will share more details as they become available.
Seeking Volunteer Help for Hazardous Waste Collection, Paper Shredding Events
With spring in full bloom, spring cleaning is undoubtedly on many minds, including that of RiverCOG. With reduced volunteer interest right now, RiverCOG is seeking volunteers who would be willing to assist at important events like collecting household hazardous waste collection and paper shredding. Anyone who is interested in volunteering is asked to contact RiverCOG leaders. These events are planned around limiting interactions with residents, with volunteers recording resident information – at least four volunteers are required for these events. Residents will be asked to place hazardous waste in a car, if waste is collected at home, or to stay in their car except to directly dispose of waste to reduce the possibility of contracting COVID-19.
The schedule of events seeking volunteers is as follows:
Paper Shredding – East Hampton – June 13th – 9am to 12pm, 2 volunteers
HHW – Essex – June 20th – 9am to 1pm, 4 volunteers
Paper Shredding – Essex – June 27th – 9am to 12 pm, 2 volunteers
HHW – Essex – July 11th – 9am to 1pm, 4 volunteers
HHW – Cromwell – July 25th – 9am to 1pm, 5 volunteers
HHW – East Hampton – August 1st – 9am to 1pm, 4 volunteers
HHW – Essex – August 8th – 9am to 1pm, 4 volunteers
Paper Shredding – Middlefield – August 15th – 9am to 1pm, 2 volunteers
Paper Shredding – Essex – September 12th – 9am to 12pm – 2 volunteers
HHW – Essex – September 19th – 9am to 1pm – 4 volunteers
HHW – Middletown – October 3rd – 9am to 1pm – 10 volunteers
HHW – Essex – October 31st – 9am to 1pm – 4 volunteers
If you are interested in helping, please call 860-581-8554 or email jehlemeyer@rivercog.org.
Remdesivir Arrives In Hospitals
This weekend, the Department of Public Health distributed Connecticut’s first allotment of Remdesivir to acute care hospitals. The medication has shown promise in reducing hospitalization time in the event of severe cases of COVID-19, recently authorized by the Food and Drug Administration. The state has received 1,200 doses as of this weekend and leaders are working to secure more doses for the state; the drug’s producer has committed to supplying more than 600,000 vials of the medication over the next six weeks.
AARP to Hold National Tele-Town Hall Thursday on COVID-19 and The Military
This Thursday, May 14 from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., the AARP will hold a nationwide tele-town hall focused on veterans, military families and COVID-19, with topics to be discussed including accessing benefits and health services through the VA or other health care providers, caring for loved ones including coordinating supports, backup care and staying connected to those in long-term care systems; understanding and managing income and finances in the midst of the pandemic; and providing resources to help cope, including tips on managing well-being, managing stress and anxiety, and other adverse effects of physical distancing. To hear the call, please call 855-274-9507 on Thursday.
Modifications For August Primaries
A new executive order makes modifications to the petitioning process for the August primary for minor parties, unaffiliated petitioning candidates and major party candidates who fail to receive 15 percent of the vote at a major convention but still wish to run in the August primary. Under the new rules, candidates will need to receive 30 percent fewer signatures from members of the public, will have two additional days to submit a petition and permits individuals to sign and mail, or email, petitions to candidates containing their signature provided they meet all required representations under state law. This is aimed to make the election process fair amid the pandemic.
Congratulations to 2020 College Graduates
While ceremonies likely took place on platforms like Zoom and FaceTime rather than in big gatherings, this weekend saw the graduation of many 2020 college students, an event that should be recognized. As graduates prepare to move on to the next steps of their lives, I would like to congratulate them for their hard work and their dedication, as well as their flexibility and willingness to adapt considering the current circumstances. Congratulations on your success; the future is bright.