UPDATED: Coronavirus In Connecticut | Connecticut Health Investigative Team

The state’s daily COVID summary is now based on a 7-day average: 894,096 residents have tested positive for COVID-19, with 3,634 testing positive over the last 7 days; the 7-day positivity rate is 8.41%, the state Department of Public Health (DPH) reported.

The state reported 14,738,996 PCR/NAAT tests, with 43,187 residents testing positive over the last 7 days. Hospitalizations total 229. The state reported 19 deaths since June 16, bringing the death total to 11,034.

This is final daily report to be released by DPH.  Starting next week, the state will release weekly COVID reports on Thursdays.  The first weekly report will be released on June 30.

You can still view a county-by-county breakdown of cases here and click on “Daily Data Report.”

Go here for the most up-to-date state information.

NEW – CDC Backs Vaccines For Young Kids

On June 18, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) approved both Pfizer and Moderna vaccines for children 6 months to 4 years of age, under emergency use. About 19 millions children are eligible to receive the vaccine.  The Pfizer 3-dose vaccine is available to kids 6 months to 4. The Moderna 2-dose vaccine is for children up to 5.

The backing of CDC Director Rochelle Walensky followed approvals from the agency’s vaccine panel and the FDA.

“The approval of the COVID-19 vaccines for children as young as 6-months old is another major step forward in the overall vaccine rollout,” said DPH Commissioner Dr. Manisha Juthani, in a press release.

Options for vaccinating include: some pediatrician offices and local pharmacies. DPH Yellow Van Clinics are located statewide and an updated clinic schedule can be found here or by visiting gov/coronavirus.

Test To Treat Sites For COVID-19

Over 40 Test To Treat sites are open in Connecticut, offering people a way to rapidly access free treatments for COVID-19, according to DPH.

Through the newly launched nationwide Test to Treat initiative, people can get tested and – if they are positive and treatments are appropriate for them – fill a prescription from a health care provider, all in one location, according to DPH’s press release. In Connecticut, the sites are located at select pharmacies, urgent care centers and federally qualified health centers.

For the treatments to work they must be started early within 5 days of when symptoms start.   You can find a locations here: https://aspr.hhs.gov/TestToTreat/Pages/default.aspx

Those who have difficulty accessing the website can call:  1-800-232-0233 (TTY 1-888-720-7489) to get help in English, Spanish, and more than 150 other languages – 8am to midnight ET, seven days a week.

The Disability Information and Access Line (DIAL) is also available to specifically help people with disabilities access services. To get help, call 1-888-677-1199, Monday-Friday from 9am to 8pm ET, according to the press release.

The CDC says that children 5-11 years of age should get a COVID-19 Pfizer booster shot five months after a child completes the vaccine series.  Booster shots were already available for children 12 and up.

For the most comprehensive list of vaccine clinics go to ct.gov/covidvaccine

To find a DPH mobile van location go to this link: https://portal.ct.gov/vaccine-portal/DPH-van-clinics?language=en_US

The city of New Haven has a number of vaccine (for all ages) and booster shot clinics scheduled.  To view the list of options go here: https://covid19.newhavenct.gov/pages/covid-19-vaccination

Vaccine and booster shots are available at Yale New Haven Health at various locations in its network. For information and to schedule an appointment go here: https://www.ynhhs.org/patient-care/covid-19/Vaccine/get-your-covid-vaccine

St. Francis Hospital in Hartford, has a list of clinics.  You can register and view locations here: https://www.trinityhealthofne.org/find-a-service-or-specialty/covid-19/schedule-your-vaccine

Hartford HealthCare has a list of clinics and mobile locations for shots.  You can register and view the locations here: https://hartfordhealthcare.org/health-wellness/covid-vaccine

If you are in the UConnHealth network go here: https://health.uconn.edu/coronavirus/covid-vaccine/for information and to setup an appointment.

You can also  call 211, the helpline run by United Way to schedule a vaccine or booster appointment.

Text 438829 and put in your zip code to get a list of locations offering COVID vaccines near you.

Second Booster Available For Adults 50 And Older

People over 50 who received received an initial mRNA booster dose at least 4 months ago are eligible for another mRNA booster to increase their protection against severe disease from COVID-19.  Immunocompromised individuals are also eligible.

Nearly 800 locations are available to administer boosters with more than adequate supply of vaccine available. Visit ct.gov/covidvaccine to locate a site near you.

How Many Fully Vaccinated?

As of June 23, 3,040,092 first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered; 2,750,821 completed the series of shots; and 1,566,793 were given a first booster and 284,604 a second booster.

The state has added a map outlining distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine by community. View it here: https://data.ct.gov/stories/s/CoVP-COVID-Vaccine-Distribution-Data/bhcd-4mnv/

There are no out-of-pocket costs for those insured in Affordable Care Act (ACA) compliant fully-insured plans and all self-funded plans, the state’s insurance commissioner said earlier this year.

Nursing Home COVID Report

As of June 16, there was 1 COVID death and 68 cases reported in nursing homes among residents.  Among nursing home staff, as of June 16, there were no staff deaths reported; new cases among staff totaled 91. See the Nursing home reports are now issued every two weeks. You can view the data here.

Assisted living facilities are no longer required to report to DPH.

On June 23, the state reported that the number of confirmed cases of the Delta variant (B.1.617.2), totaled 16,288; the Omicron variant (B.1.1.529) totaled 17,533; and the Alpha variant (B.1.1.7) totaled 2,525.

You can track the variants here: https://covidtrackerct.com/

On variants, read the CDC report here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/transmission/variant-cases.html

Want A COVID Test? Your Insurance Company Might Be Billed

As of June 15, federal funding for COVID-19 testing has ended. Yale New Haven Health will continue to provide COVID-19 testing by appointment and your insurance company will be billed for the test.   To make an appointment and learn more about the billing go here: https://www.ynhhs.org/patient-care/covid-19/testing/testing-locations

The state has a comprehensive list of locations for COVID testing here: https://portal.ct.gov/Coronavirus/Covid-19-Knowledge-Base/COVID-19-Testing

Order FREE COVID-19 Home Tests

You can order up to 8 COVID-19 home tests at this link: https://special.usps.com/testkits

Community Hot Spots

98 out of 169 communities are “hot spots” this week.  Those communities in red in the map below have an average rate of 15 or more cases per 100,000 population per day. Gray is under 5 cases per 100,000 population per day; yellow is 5-9; and orange is 10-14. View the state map here.  The CDC is also tracking COVID transmission by county. The designations include high, substantial and low are vary day-to-day. To view the CDC’s map on hot spot states and counties, click here.

CDC Shortens Quarantine Period For COVID-19

The CDC shortened the recommended time for isolation from 10 days for people with COVID-19 to 5 days, if asymptomatic, followed by 5 days of wearing a mask when around others, according to an agency press release.

The change, the CDC said, is because a majority of SARS-CoV-2 transmission occurs early in the course of illness, generally in the 1-2 days prior to onset of symptoms and the 2-3 days after.  The CDC recommends that people who test positive should isolate for 5 days and, if asymptomatic, they may leave isolation if they can continue to mask for 5 days to minimize the risk of infecting others.

Mental Health Services Call 211

Mental health services and programs are available by calling 211 for assistance.

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