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 New Haven counties are in the high orange range where the CDC recommends indoor masking, and testing if you have symptoms. Litchfield, New London, Tolland and Windham counties are in the medium yellow range, which recommends talking to your health care provider if you are high risk about masking.
The increase in transmission is related to two subvariants, BA.2, which comprises 73 percent of all samples tested as of Thursday, and BA.2.12.1, which comprises 23 percent of all samples. Omicron represented only 4 percent of the samples tested.
“This latest CDC update is a reminder that Connecticut is in the midst of a swell from a subvariant of omicron,” Department of Public Health Commissioner Manisha Juthani said. “DPH has been preparing for this since late March. And all the tools are in place—including vaccines and second boosters, Test to Treat locations, therapeutics, self-tests and state-supported testing—to help curb the severity of this illness. Residents should follow the CDC guidance for their respective county.”
The news comes as the two political parties are scheduled to meet for their annual nominating conventions.
The Democratic Party will hold its meeting at the Xfinity Theater in Hartford and the Republican Party will hold its meeting at Foxwoods in Ledyard, which is part of New London County. Neither party has recommended that the hundreds of delegates who attend wear masks.
