
HARTFORD, CT — Connecticut’s coronavirus positivity rate continues to hover around 1% even as states as nearby as Rhode Island are seeing spikes in the number of cases.
Six more Connecticut residents died of coronavirus over the past 24 hours, and the number of people currently hospitalized increased by 13. Gov. Ned Lamont said he’s not concerned about the increase in hospitalizations because the number of patients discharged has also increased.
But there’s little Lamont can control about what’s happening in other states.
On July 28, Rhode Island experienced its highest number of new infections in two months and now health officials in the Ocean State are sounding alarms. Lamont said that although the positivity rate in Rhode Island remains below 5%, he would not hesitate to add the state to the travel advisory list.
There are currently 35 states and Washington D.C.. on the travel advisory.
While Connecticut’s overall trends remain positive, those between the ages of 10 and 19 saw the highest number of new cases in Connecticut at about 110 new cases between July 19 and 25. The second highest increase occurred in the 20 to 29 age group.
Despite these increases in the school-aged population, Lamont and Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, who has been advising the governor, agree that Connecticut is equipped and ready for safe in-person learning this fall.
“When can you open schools?” Emanuel said. “You have a combination of low transmission rate in your community and low test positivity rate indicating you are testing enough and not many test positive. How do you get to a low transmission rate? The exact way that Connecticut has done it.”
The state’s plan for reopening schools will allow superintendents to draft their own proposal that can involve full in-person education or a hybrid of classroom time and online learning. If districts feel that a fully online plan will be necessary, the superintendent will have to request permission from Education Commissioner Miguel Cardona.
Originally, Lamont statements led towns to believe that the state would mandate what type of plan — hybrid, online or in-person — would be in place for the fall. Last week, he changed course and said superintendents have flexibility to choose what plan would work for their districts. Now, Lamont said the jurisdiction over decision-making is different when it comes to districts that want to opt for online-only education.
“I have not done anything by strict edict, but you know my feelings,” Lamont said. “If a kid has a chance to get to the classroom, I want that kid to be in the classroom. The overwhelming majority of our school districts agree. If there is a rare example with this very low infection rate where some school district does not want their kids going to school, we are going to have a very forceful discussion with the superintendent about why that is.”
Lamont said Thursday that the school reopening will be handled on a county-by-county basis. If there is an outbreak in one county, that area may transition to an online-only format while other districts could continue in-person learning.
Connecticut’s teachers expressed their fears and uncertainties about returning to school in a 500-car caravan that drove by Lamont’s residence in Hartford calling for greater safety measures in reopening.
Support authentic, locally owned and operated public service journalism!
Lamont said this protest contradicted the productive conversation he had with teachers earlier in the day.
“I was meeting with the Connecticut Education Association, probably 20 teachers around a table — we had a very productive conversation for about an hour or so, and then they had to leave to do a car rally around my residence and house,” Lamont said. “I think it’s very important for the teachers to be involved in the decision-making.”
More COVID-19 Coverage

Connecticut To Get FEMA Funds for COVID Testing Sites
Connecticut will receive more than $2 million in federal emergency funding to pay for the operation of COVID-19 testing sites during a six-month period last year, the Federal Emergency Management Agency announced Monday. The roughly $2.15 million will come from FEMA’s public assistance grant program and will be used to reimburse state funds used to…
Keep reading
COVID Transmission Increases in CT
As of Friday afternoon, Connecticut’s test positivity rate was 13.71% and there were 323 residents hospitalized with the virus. On Thursday, the Department of Public Health reported that 158 of Connecticut’s 169 municipalities qualified for the state’s “red alert” distinction for COVID-19, which is triggered when a community records at least 15 daily cases per…
Keep reading
Connecticut At High, Medium Risk of COVID Transmission
Connecticut’s COVID-19 test positivity rating was 10.35% on Thursday and all eight Connecticut counties were in the medium yellow or high orange categories on the CDC’s community spread map. Those community maps, created by the CDC in February, are supposed to tell people to take preventative steps such as masking and testing. Hartford, Middlesex and…
Keep reading
Advocates Make 11th Hour Pitch For Compassionate Release
Hartford, CT — Advocates seeking compassionate release from prison during public health emergencies like COVID rallied at the state Capitol hours before they saw their legislation die without action in either chamber. At the rally on Wednesday, protestors and advocates were demanding action from legislators to pass a bill that addresses COVID in prisons. The…
Keep reading
Legislating During COVID-19
The legislative session ends in three days now, that’s shorter than the amount of time someone should quarantine under CDC standards if they have COVID-19, so how are lawmakers coping? Sen. Saud Anwar, D-South Windsor, started experiencing symptoms two weeks ago and tested positive for COVID-19. Luckily the session wasn’t scheduled until last Tuesday, but…
Keep reading
Study Shows Union Nursing Homes Had Lower Rates of COVID-19
A recent study published by Health Affairs found that unionized nursing homes had lower resident COVID-19 mortality rates. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, nursing home residents have accounted for roughly one of every six COVID-19 deaths in the United States. Nursing homes have also been very dangerous places for workers, with more than…
Keep reading
Senator Murphy Tests Positive For COVID
U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy announced on Twitter that he tested positive for COVID-19. “FYI after feeling mild symptoms overnight, I tested positive for COVID this morning. We’ve done the contact tracing and let people know. It’s a bummer, but I’m sure if I wasn’t fully vaccinated I would be feeling a lot worse. So remember…
Keep reading
COVID Cases Tick Back Up
Most of Gov. Ned Lamont’s executive orders, which were extended to April 15 by the legislature, have now expired just as Connecticut’s test positivity rate for COVID-19 is creeping back up and students at UConn are being asked to mask up again, starting today. According to the Department of Public Health, Connecticut recorded 3,939 positive…
Keep reading
House Green Lights Extension of COVID-19 Laws
The House gave final passage Wednesday to a package of four concepts that had been executive orders and are now law. Previously, the concepts were executive orders to address the COVID-19 pandemic.
Keep reading
Tong Tests Positive For COVID-19
Attorney General William Tong has tested positive for COVID-19. He is experiencing mild symptoms and quarantining at home.
Keep reading
Lieutenant Gov. Tests Positive For COVID-19, Days After Gov
Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz tested positive for the COVID-19 virus during a routine rapid test over the weekend, her chief staff said in a Monday morning statement. Bysiewicz’s results follow Gov. Ned Lamont, who tested positive late last week. “I have tested positive for COVID-19,” Bysiewicz wrote on Twitter. “Thanks to the vaccine and booster…
Keep reading
Lamont Tests Positive for COVID-19
Gov. Ned Lamont tested positive for COVID-19 Thursday. The results from two rapid tests were positive and he’s awaiting the results of a PCR test, according to this staff. The 68-year-old governor received his second booster exactly a week ago, but has made it through the first two years of the pandemic without contracting the…
Keep reading
New Initiative Allows Same Day COVID Testing And Treatment
Hundreds of pharmacies and federally qualified community health centers across Connecticut are now offering COVID testing and treatments to patients at the same time and place. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, these test-to-treat sites provide antiviral medication to hundreds of locations across the U.S, who then distribute them to patients…
Keep reading
YNHH Top Doc Boosts 2nd Boosters
If you’re eligible to get a second Covid-19 booster shot, go get it. Especially if you’re over 50 and have an underlying medical condition like diabetes that puts you at “high risk” of contracting a severe case of COVID. Read more from the New Haven Independent.
Keep reading
Federal COVID Funds To Limit Tax Relief In An Election Year
Like all states, Connecticut accepted billions of dollars from the federal government for COVID-19 relief, but that money limits how much the state can now consider cutting taxes. It’s bubbling up as a point of contention as lawmakers race to adjust the two-year state budget, which is currently experiencing a record surplus. Connecticut is expected…
Keep reading