Sunday COVID-19 Summary: Hospitalizations Down, Positivity Rate Up
This summary includes the total cases, deaths, and current hospitalizations in our town, county, and state.
The State does not publish any data on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday - so this summary does not include any information collected on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday.
Data from the past three days will be published cumulatively in tomorrow evening’s daily update.
All data comes from Connecticut Open Data portal. Numbers as of 01/01/21:
Westport:
940 positive or probable cases (total)
25 deaths (total)
+54 cases last data week (12/25-01/01/21)
+ 0 deaths last data week (12/25-01/01/21)
Fairfield County:
57,467 positive or probable cases (total)
1,740 deaths (total)
264 currently hospitalized; -33 from last week (as of 01/01/21)
Connecticut:
190,120 positive or probable cases (total)
6,099 deaths (total)
1,056 currently hospitalized -80 from last week (as of 01/01/21)
State Daily Test Positivity:
7.06% of COVID-19 tests administered came back positive (01/01/21)
The next update will be published tomorrow evening, and will include all data identified on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of this weekend.
Returning Home from Vacation: Quarantine, Get Tested, or Risk $500 Civil Penalty
Since December 19th, Governor Ned Lamont mandates that all Connecticut residents returning home quarantine upon return, receive COVID-19 testing, or risk receiving a $500 civil penalty from the Commissioner of Public Health.
The Executive Order does not apply to those who are returning from New Jersey, Rhode Island, New York, or other communities in Connecticut, and does not apply to those who visited affected states for less than 24 hours.
Adults and children must quarantine for 10 days upon their return to Connecticut. During this time, individuals may only leave their homes to pick up medications, attend doctors appointments, or to grocery shop. They are to avoid any public gathering or events, such as school, work, restaurants, or social engagements.
Individuals may leave quarantine if they receive a negative COVID-19 test and submit their proof to the Commissioner of Public Health. Quarantine may also be avoided if the individual tested positive for COVID-19 within the past 90 days, has not been symptomatic in at least 10 days, and submits proof of previous infection and Travel Health Form to the Commissioner of Public Health.
“an Affected Traveler is exempt from the self-quarantine requirement if the Affected Traveler (1) has had a test for COVID-19 in the seventy-two (72) hours prior to arrival in Connecticut or at any time following arrival in Connecticut, (2) the result of such COVID-19 test is negative, and (3) he or she has provided written proof of such negative test result to the Commissioner of Public Health via email to DPH.COVID-Travel@ct.gov or via facsimile to 860-326-0529.” (CT.gov)
Approved testing includes PCR, rapid, or at-home tests. It does not include antibody testing.
Those who leave quarantine before the full ten days finish, or before receiving a negative result from COVID-19 testing, or fail to submit their Travel Health Form, may face a $500 civil penalty per-violation from the Commissioner of Public Health. Multiple violations may include leaving quarantine multiple times, or other failures to comply with the Executive Order. Civil Penalties may be contested through a hearing before the Commissioner of Public Health.
Anonymous reporting of individuals or businesses exhibiting non-compliance with Executive Order mandates is available online or by calling 211.
Westport Public Schools: 16 COVID-19 Cases, 8 within Greens Farms Elementary, to Start 2021
According to the Westport Public Schools COVID-19 Dashboard, the 2021 year will begin with 14 total students or staff members with positive or probable COVID-19 cases, and with 42 students or staff members in quarantine. Eight of the 14 cases involve Greens Farms Elementary School, with the balance of cases being spread throughout the remaining schools.
Westport Cumulative COVID-19 Cases Up 19; Deaths Unchanged
The Westport-Weston Health District reports that Westport has added 19 positive or probable COVID-19 cases, and has added 0 new deaths.
Westport total positive or probable cases: 925 cases. Westport total COVID-19 Deaths: 25 deaths.
Ending 2020 with Hope: EMS Personnel Receive COVID-19 Vaccine
The Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine administered to Westport First Responders yesterday at the Westport-Weston Health District.
According to a Westport Emergency Medical Service Press Release:
“EMTs and Paramedics serving on Westport’s ambulances have begun to receive the COVID-19 vaccine as part of the national roll-out to front line medical personnel. The vaccines are a sign of hope for the local EMS volunteers and staff after ten months of treating the community’s COVID-19 patients.
Westport Emergency Medical Service Deputy Director/Paramedic Marc Hartog.
Yesterday, several Westport EMS members, along with other 1st responders from the Police and Fire Departments, received the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine at the Westport-Weston Health District - making history for the essential service as it begins to protect its front line volunteers and staff members against the coronavirus as it heads into the new year.
Volunteer EMT Lynette Pineda, Volunteer EMT / Westport Volunteer EMS President Mike Burns, and Paramedic / Westport EMS Deputy Director Marc Hartog were the first ones to receive the vaccine at the health district, whose nurses were able to administer the shots after a small shipment of the vaccine was received.
1st responders have been authorized by the CDC to go to any certified vaccine clinic in the State, allowing personnel who live outside of Westport to find a clinic closer to their own home. However, having the ability to administer vaccinations in-town will make it easier and more efficient for the emergency medical service providers to receive their shots, keeping them protected as COVID-19 case numbers rise in the region.
Volunteer EMT/Westport Volunteer EMS President Mike Burns.
“We encourage everyone to get vaccinated as soon as it is available to you. In the meantime, we'll continue to wear masks, wash our hands frequently, and practice social distancing, and ask all of you to do the same.” said Deputy Director Hartog.
Only one member of Westport Emergency Medical Service has been diagnosed with COVID-19 throughout the pandemic, a monumental feat for the nearly 75 members which can be attributed to strict infection control and PPE protocols that keep them, and patients, safe.
A majority of the service’s volunteers and staff members have said they’ll get the vaccine as soon as it's available to them, with many receiving their first dose just this week.
Volunteer EMT/Westporter Lynette Pineda.
Westport Emergency Medical Service, a division of the Westport Police Department, provides pre-hospital emergency medical care to the Westport community with its team of nearly 75 volunteers and seven staff members aboard its fleet of state-of-the-art ambulances. More information on the service can be found at westportems.org.”
Westport Cumulative COVID-19 Cases Up 10; Deaths Unchanged
The Westport-Weston Health District reports that Westport has added 10 positive or probable COVID-19 cases, and has added 0 new deaths.
Westport total positive or probable cases: 916 cases. Westport total COVID-19 Deaths: 25 deaths.
County, Red & White Charity Balls Cancelled for High Schoolers
According to the Board of Directors for the County Assemblies, Inc.: the Red & White Charity Ball for high school seniors, and the County Assembly Charity Ball for high school juniors, are both cancelled in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The charity ball tradition began in 1938 with a Christmas dance at the Red Barn for Westport teens. Since then, the non-profit organization welcomes high school juniors and seniors from Easton, Fairfield, Redding, Weston, Westport and Wilton to register for their grade’s dance at the Stamford Marriott - formerly held at The Inn at Longshore. The Junior and Senior dances are split into tri-town areas: Westport, Weston, Wilton as one group, and Easton, Redding, and Fairfield as the other group.
Tradition made it mandatory that the girls-asked-boys to the dances, and paid the $150 per-couple registration fee for the black tie event. It was not until 2018 that the Board of Directors announced that they would welcome ”…as an exception for the LGBTQ community, boys bringing a male escort” to the typically female-only registration system.
All money collected goes towards area charities benefiting children and teens. This year they were able to donate more than $60,000 to area food pantries throughout the region.
From the County Assemblies Board of Directors:
“The County Assemblies is taking a break for our 2021 events and we look forward to resuming our Charity Balls in 2022.
As a result of your generous support of our 2020 events, we awarded grants in excess of $60,000 to non-profit organizations that help children and teens in Fairfield County. Due to the additional needs of families during the pandemic, we supported food pantries in Easton, Redding, Fairfield, Norwalk, Weston, Westport and Wilton.”
The Birth of a Hopeful Future at Stamford Hospital
a Note From the Editor
Last week, the Vaccine Administration Management System (VAMS) sent me an email that said it was my turn to get the COVID-19 vaccine as an EMT. As easy as ordering take-out, I had an appointment for December 29th at Stamford Hospital. Many asked what my experience was.
…
I didn’t feel the shot, I truthfully didn’t even know it was administered until the bandaid was pulling at my skin. It was unceremonious, quick. I walked out of the small makeshift room into the observation area where a scene of the pandemic crisis was burned into my mind.
Doctors, nurses, and other hospital staff sat in small chairs in this hallway with “I Got My COVID-19 Vaccine” stickers on their lapels and tears slowly absorbing into the edges of their masks. I sat at the end of the hallway with them as they cried, called their children, Facetimed their spouses, hugged and clapped as one-after-another received the new Pfizer vaccine. This was the beginning to their victory in surviving the pandemic as a frontline worker. They made it out alive. They survived.
So there we all sat. The newly vaccinated hospital staff resembled a family celebrating the birth of a child - everyone filled with joy and hope - everyone celebrating the birth of a hopeful future - sitting on those chairs in the middle of the hallway - taking selfies, crying, hugging, laughing, celebrating the hope that they felt under the bandaid on their arms.
And there I was, feeling so small, and so grateful, sitting there on my chair at the end of the hallway.
This is their light at the end of the tunnel. This is their hope. This was my experience.
Jaime Bairaktaris
No New COVID-19 Cases, Deaths Reported Today
The Westport-Weston Health District reports that Westport has added 0 positive or probable COVID-19 cases, and has added 0 new death.
Westport total positive or probable cases: 906 cases. Westport total COVID-19 Deaths: 25 deaths.
NOTE: “Due to technical issues, today’s report reflects only partial recent data, therefore the number of cases and tests are lower than anticipated. We expect that the missing data will be accounted for in tomorrow's report.” (CT Data)
Westport Cumulative COVID-19 Cases Up 22; Deaths Unchanged
The Westport-Weston Health District reports that Westport has added 22 positive or probable COVID-19 cases, and has added 0 new deaths. This includes data from the past Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
Westport total positive or probable cases: 906 cases. Westport total COVID-19 Deaths: 25 deaths.