COVID-19 James Bairaktaris COVID-19 James Bairaktaris

Sunday COVID-19 Summary: State, County Hospitalizations Down; Westport Adds 100 Cases in One Week

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 01/14/21:

Westport:

  • 1,114 positive or probable cases (total) +100 from last week

  • 26 deaths (total) +1 from last week

Fairfield County:

  • 65,725 positive or probable cases (total) +4,440 from last week

  • 1,830 Deaths (total) +51 from last week

  • 248 currently hospitalized; -26 from last week (as of 01/14/21)

Connecticut:

  • 223,422 positive or probable cases +1,878 from last week(total)

  • 6,594 deaths + 270 from last week (total)

  • 1,098 currently hospitalized -11 from last week (as of 01/14/21)

State Daily Test Positivity:

  • 6.20% of COVID-19 tests administered came back positive (01/07/21)

  • 8.46% on 01/07/21

The next update will be published tomorrow evening, and will include all data identified on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of this weekend.

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Westport-Weston Health District Provides Vaccine Registration Info

From The Westport Weston Health District, 01/15/21:

On January 14, Governor Lamont announced that phase 1b of Connecticut’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout will begin January 18, 2021, and residents in the state over the age of 75 can now schedule appointments to receive the vaccine.

Individuals included in 1a rollout:

  • Healthcare Personnel: All paid and unpaid persons serving in healthcare settings who have the potential for direct or indirect exposure to patients of infectious materials.

  • Long Term Care Facility Residents: Adults who reside in facilities that provide a range of services, including medical and personal care, to persons who are unable to live independently.

     

  • First Responders at risk of exposure to COVID-19 through their response to medical emergencies such as Emergency Medical Technicians, Police, and Fire.

    Individuals included in phase 1b:

  • Individuals 75 and older are able to register on Monday

To Register:

All eligible residents are required to make an appointment in advance of receiving the vaccine. Individuals over the age of 75 can make appointments utilizing the following tools:

  • Healthcare Provider – Many residents have already been or will be contacted to schedule an appointment by their healthcare provider if their provider is participating in the state’s vaccine program. Not all providers are administering the vaccine. A list of participating providers is available at ct.gov/covidvaccine. Residents are urged not to contact their physician or healthcare provider directly for COVID vaccine appointments.

     

  • Online – A form can be accessed online at ct.gov/covidvaccine that allows individuals to schedule an appointment through the web-based Vaccine Administration Management System (VAMS)

     

  • Telephone – Those without internet access can call Connecticut’s COVID Vaccine Appointment Assistance Line at 877-918-2224. The phone system was created in partnership with the Department of Public Health and United Way of Connecticut and is specifically targeted to provide support for eligible vaccine recipients who have limited technology access, or who have language, disability, or other barriers that could prevent them from using existing self-scheduling options successfully. The line will take calls on Mondays through Fridays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and will offer a call-back option when all contact specialists are busy serving other callers. The team will aim to return calls as soon as possible, with the goal of same-day response.

If you schedule online, please note that every individual must have a unique email address to be registered and vaccinated with VAMS.  For example, if you are registering your elderly parent and you use your email, you will not be able to be vaccinated using that same email. 

Using VAMS is a Federal requirement at this time. It is the only way at this time that an individual not in a congregate setting may register and receive a vaccination in Connecticut. This is a State of Connecticut program and residents do not need to be vaccinated in the town in which they reside.  VAMS may suggest vaccination appointments in nearby communities based on the supply of available vaccine.

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Superintendent: 8 New Cases in 3 Schools; 6 in Staples

According to Westport Public Schools Superintendent Thomas Scarice, 8 new COVID-19 cases were reported as of last night among students and staff in the District. Staples High School had the highest amount of cases, with 6 reported just yesterday, and 18 in total. The school with the second highest amount of cases is Saugatuck Elementary School with seven cases. The district has a total of 39 probable or confirmed COVID-19 cases, and 159 staff or students quarantined.

From the Superintendent:

Dear Westport Families and Staff,

In our efforts to remain transparent with reports of positive Covid-19 cases associated with our schools, we will continue to provide these updates as information is confirmed. As of the time I am writing to you this evening we have 8 newly confirmed cases of COVID-19 that came in yesterday and today. The reports came from the following schools:

  • Kings Highway Elementary School - 1

  • Bedford Middle School - 1

  • Staples High School - 6

Those impacted have been notified by school and District officials. As a reminder, families are asked to report positive of COVID-19 cases of students using our reporting voicemail or email regardless of whether the students are in remote or hybrid models of instruction. Please follow this link for more information on reporting.

Additionally, we want to remind families that students with pending Covid-19 tests should not return to school until receiving negative results. This approach is critical in helping us continue minimizing the potential for transmission in our schools.

Respectfully,

 

Thomas Scarice

Superintendent of Schools

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Westport Cumulative COVID-19 Cases DOWN 6; Deaths Unchanged. No Explanation from State

The Westport-Weston Health District reports that 6 positive or probable COVID-19 cases from yesterday’s report of 61 cases have been retracted. It’s unknown at this time what caused the six cases to be subtracted from yesterday’s data.

Westport total positive or probable cases: 1,069 cases (-6). Westport total COVID-19 Deaths: 25 deaths.

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Advanced Vaccine Registration Opens Thursday For 75+ Group; Westporter Writes with Advice, Hope

Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont stated yesterday that the COVID-19 Vaccine phase 1b, which will include those 75 year old and older, as well as other essential workers, will begin as early as this week.

The governor announced that advanced registrations will begin this Thursday for those in the 75 and older crowd. Registrations will take place through the Vaccine Administration Management System (VAMS), however a new phone booking system will be announced within the next few days. Other members of this next phase will include education and childcare workers, as well as critical infrastructure employees, social service employees, and other adults who would be in more at-risk or congregate settings. Visit the State’s Vaccine Administration Portal for more information.

Westporter, New Yorker, and acclaimed author Roberta Seret writes to those in the next phase of the vaccine administration - describing her experience signing up for the vaccine, and the hope that came with it.

NOTES FROM THE UNDERGROUND: A VACCINE SEEKER OFFERS SOME HINTS

It has finally arrived, the day I have been dreaming of, a day more important than any birthday. A COVD-19 vaccine. How I coveted my friends before me who had already smiled as they felt the injection on their skin. I wished it had been me so I could hug my two-week-old grandson.

But I couldn’t allow my heart to stay above the earth too long. I had to prepare to make sure that my inoculation #1 went well so I could line up for #2 and then be free.

Before I left my computer’s digital portal of registration, I noticed a small button to the right of the screen: MAKE AN APPOINTMENT FOR #2.

I panicked. They did not say in all the directions and papers I had read what vaccine I was getting. Pfizer? Moderna? 21 days apart or 28 days? Before I could lament further and lose that little red button, I clicked on it and saw a calendar icon pop up. I remember I had put in the mouth of one of my fictional characters, “When in doubt, go with your guts.”

Moderna my instincts told me.

The next day, my doctor-friend confirmed that survival instincts do have merit.

Being that I am lucky to have two residences, Westport and Manhattan, I opted to get the vaccination in New York. Every day counted for me as I smiled and cried looking at photos of my 14-16-day-old grandson, soon to be 21-60-days-old.

As a person who makes her “TO DO LIST” even days before the day to do begins, I began.

The professor-writer in me would like to share it so you, too, can return to last year’s joys and make up for that one year lost.

FOR YOUR POCKETS: TO INCLUDE

  1. Consent forms completed and signed. (Not all sites include this link and option. Be ready with a pen to sign at the time of inoculation.)

  2. Proof of appointment. (Again, not all sites send you a text or email message to reconfirm. I took my cell phone if my email proof would be needed.)

  3. Paperwork to prove I am who I am. (Medical insurance, photo I.D., driver’s license, pharmacy telephone number.)

  4. Mask. (It Ain’t over 'til It’s Over. I took my strongest mask, my newest one.)

  5. A glance at my medicine cabinet to make sure I have aspirin or Tylenol if I react with a fever. A friend even took an EpiPen, just in case.)

  6. Cell phone. I wanted to be prepared if I had to call my grandson’s father. I remembered a quote from John Steinbeck: “A boy becomes a man when a man is needed.

  7. I was ready now to feel that needle in my arm and inject me with HOPE.

Roberta Seret

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School Week Starts with 4 New COVID-19 Cases in 3 School

The school weeks begins with a report from Westport Public Schools Superintendent Thomas Scarice that there were four new COVID-19 cases reported tonight in 3 different schools, one case being in Stepping Stones Preschool. This is in addition to the COVID-19 dashboards count from 9:00 Sunday morning. The next update to the dashboard will be at 9:00 AM today.

From Superintendent Scarice, Sunday Night:

Dear Westport Families and Staff,

In our efforts to remain transparent with reports of positive Covid-19 cases associated with our schools, we will continue to provide these updates as information is confirmed. As of the time I am writing to you this evening we have 4 newly confirmed cases of COVID-19 that came in today. The reports came from the following schools:

  • Stepping Stones Preschool -1

  • Coleytown Elementary School - 1

  • Staples High School - 2

Those impacted have been notified by school and District officials. As a reminder, families are asked to report positive of COVID-19 cases of students using our reporting voicemail or email regardless of whether the students are in remote or hybrid models of instruction. Please follow this link for more information on reporting.

Additionally, we want to remind families that students with pending Covid-19 tests should not return to school until receiving negative results. This approach is critical in helping us continue minimizing the potential for transmission in our schools.

Respectfully,

 

Thomas Scarice

Superintendent of Schools

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