CT COVID-19 Update: 4 p.m., Monday, Aug. 24

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont will hold a news briefing today to provide an update on the state’s coronavirus response efforts.

Beth Bye, commissioner of the Office of Early Childhood, is joining today’s briefing.

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Opinion

OP-ED | Traffic Violence Can Be Prevented With The Right Policies And Political Will

Guest opinion columnist Dimitris Koutoumbas says that with pedestrian deaths at a 41-year high in Connecticut, common sense measures are long overdue toward making our…

by Dimitris Koutoumbas November 14, 2023, 4:45 amNovember 14, 2023, 3:09 am

Public Health

Connecticut Avoids National Increase in Childhood Vaccine Exemptions

Connecticut was among a small number of states that defied a national trend of declining kindergarten vaccination rates, according to a report by the Centers…

by Hugh McQuaid November 10, 2023, 12:05 pmNovember 10, 2023, 12:05 pm

Public Health

Connecticut Officials Urge Residents to Receive Seasonal Vaccines Amid First Flu, RSV Deaths

Public health officials in Connecticut reminded residents to stay current with their seasonal vaccines Thursday as the state reported its first deaths of the viral…

by Hugh McQuaid November 9, 2023, 1:47 pmNovember 9, 2023, 1:47 pm

Nonprofits

Roca Celebrates Two Years In Operation With Progress Report, Panel Discussion

To mark its two-year anniversary, Roca, a Hartford nonprofit dedicated to helping women escape and avoid violence, issued a report summarizing its work and the…

by Mike Savino November 2, 2023, 9:00 amNovember 2, 2023, 4:31 am

Courts

Connecticut Supreme Court Enters Fray on 2021 Repeal of Religious Vaccine Exemption

The Connecticut Supreme Court last week inserted itself into the debate over whether Connecticut made the right decision in eliminating the religious exemption for childhood…

by Christine Stuart October 30, 2023, 12:00 pmOctober 30, 2023, 9:11 am

Utilities

Water Customers File Class Actions Against Aquarion, Connecticut Water Company Over PFAS Levels

Two groups of water customers in Connecticut are seeking class action certification in lawsuits against both Aquarion Water Company and the Connecticut Water Company over…

by Hugh McQuaid October 23, 2023, 5:00 amOctober 22, 2023, 4:08 pm

Education

Connecticut School Districts Near $1 Billion in Federal Pandemic Relief Spending

Connecticut school districts have spent $981 million of a total $1.7 billion in federal pandemic relief funds meant to offset the costs of educational expenses…

by Hugh McQuaid October 20, 2023, 1:00 pmOctober 19, 2023, 6:47 pm

Health Care

CDC Director Boosts New Covid Booster

The nation’s top public health official swung by Fair Haven Thursday morning with a vaccine-promoting message: Covid is still with us, and so now is the…

by Thomas Breen October 6, 2023, 10:30 amOctober 6, 2023, 4:05 pm

Opinion

Boebert’s Theater Behavior & Mommy Blogs

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by Dave Granlund, Editorial Cartoonist and Pat Bagley, Editorial Cartoonist September 20, 2023, 4:30 amSeptember 30, 2023, 4:05 pm

Public Health

COVID Infections on the Rise in Connecticut Prisons

The number of incarcerated people housed in the Department of Correction’s COVID Recovery Unit has increased during the month of September, according to the agency,…

by Hugh McQuaid September 14, 2023, 5:00 amSeptember 13, 2023, 7:10 pm

More COVID-19 Coverage

Public Health

Health Officials Report Rising COVID Cases as School Resumes

The new school year is starting next week and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is tracking an increasing number of new COVID cases… Keep reading

by Christine Stuart August 25, 2023, 5:00 amAugust 25, 2023, 1:20 am

Legal / Civil Courts

State Supreme Court Grapples With Scope of Pandemic-Era Legal Immunity for Providers

Connecticut’s Supreme Court sought to define the scope of emergency pandemic legal immunity for healthcare providers in a pair of rulings last week, which skirted…

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by Hugh McQuaid August 14, 2023, 12:57 pmAugust 14, 2023, 6:26 pm

Public Health

Blumenthal Pushes for $791M in COVID-19 Testing Funds Amid Rising Cases

With COVID-19 cases on the rise once again, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal is making a push to secure funding for testing in Congress’ budget. Keep reading

by Mike Savino August 8, 2023, 5:00 amAugust 8, 2023, 1:09 am

Pandemic Fallout

Performance Measures Were Written Into The State’s Telework Policy, But Lamont Administration Maintains Status Quo

When the state of Connecticut wrote its policy on teleworking state employees, it included a provision for establishing performance measures to evaluate remote workers. Afterall,… Keep reading

by Gary Kleeblatt August 2, 2023, 5:00 amAugust 1, 2023, 2:57 pm

Pandemic Fallout

OPM Chief: Consolidation of State Offices – Made Possible By Teleworking – Should Begin Next Year

A consolidation and reduction of state office space should be underway next year – made possible because about 13,000 of the executive branch’s 31,000 state…

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by Gary Kleeblatt July 27, 2023, 7:30 pmJuly 27, 2023, 8:58 pm

Public Health

Senate Masking Requirements Return Amid New COVID Cases

Senate leaders have reinstituted masking and COVID testing requirements this week in response to a number of cases among members of the chamber in the… Keep reading

by Hugh McQuaid May 30, 2023, 11:46 amMay 30, 2023, 12:08 pm

Public Health

It’s Official: COVID-19 Emergency Ends

Gov. Ned Lamont joined hospital officials in New Haven to declare an official end to the COVID-19 public health emergency — and reflect on lessons for the… Keep reading

by Thomas Breen May 11, 2023, 12:00 pmMay 11, 2023, 11:43 am

State Budget

Connecticut Completes Hero Pay Program for Essential Workers

State Comptroller Sean Scanlon announced that the Premium Pay program, also known as Hero Pay, has concluded after providing one-time payments of up to $1,000… Keep reading

by Staff Report April 26, 2023, 12:09 pmApril 26, 2023, 4:36 pm

Bonding and Debt

Money For Public School HVAC Improvements Tops Bond Commission’s Agenda Thursday

With public school districts across Connecticut realizing they need to upgrade their heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems following the COVID-19 pandemic, Gov. Ned… Keep reading

by Kevin Flood April 5, 2023, 3:34 pmApril 5, 2023, 4:14 pm

Transportation

Community Leaders Worry Reinstatement Of Bus Fares Will Be A Hardship For Many

Advocates say the impending return of fares for all buses and ADA para-transit on April 1 will mean people will have a difficult time getting… Keep reading

by Julie Martin Banks March 21, 2023, 5:00 amMarch 20, 2023, 10:45 pm

Education

Chronic Absenteeism Improved With Home Visits

A Connecticut Education Department report released in December 2020 showed a sharp rise in absenteeism among students at the start of the pandemic so it… Keep reading

by Christine Stuart January 20, 2023, 12:00 pmMarch 24, 2023, 4:39 pm

Housing

Attorneys Report Successful First Year for ‘Right to Counsel’ Program

The state’s Right To Counsel program was not only successful in helping many tenants with avoiding eviction in 2022, but it also saved nearly $6… Keep reading

by Julie Martin Banks January 6, 2023, 10:00 amJanuary 9, 2023, 10:56 am

State Capitol

Capitol Reopens Completely, Masks Optional

While Wednesday’s opening day of the legislative session and inaugural events will be mask optional, Gov. Ned Lamont is asking people who are not feeling… Keep reading

by Christine Stuart January 3, 2023, 7:00 pmJanuary 4, 2023, 2:46 am

Public Health

Lamont Continues Public Health Emergency For Federal Funds

Connecticut will remain in a COVID-based public health emergency in order to continue receiving federal funds to offset the costs of supplemental food benefits and… Keep reading

by Hugh McQuaid December 20, 2022, 2:08 pmDecember 20, 2022, 2:08 pm

Health Care

Public Health Officials Concerned About COVID, Respiratory Illness During Holiday Season

The number of patients hospitalized in Connecticut with COVID-19 climbed this week to 515, its highest census since early February, prompting doctors and public health… Keep reading

by Hugh McQuaid December 16, 2022, 1:03 pmDecember 16, 2022, 1:03 pm