COVID-19 James Bairaktaris COVID-19 James Bairaktaris

Sunday COVID-19 Summary: 23% of Westport Got Vaccines; Fairfield County Accounts for 26% of CT’s Total Hospitalizations

This summary includes the total cases, deaths, vaccines, 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 03/11/21:

COVID-19 Cases

Westport:

  • 1,497 positive or probable cases (total) +59 from last week

  • 29 deaths (total) +1 from last week

  • 51,126 tests (total) +1,306 from last week

Fairfield County:

  • 83,303 positive or probable cases (total) +1,520 from last week

  • 2,074 Deaths (total) +11 from last week

  • 105 currently hospitalized; -13 from last week (as of 03/11/21)

Connecticut:

  • 290,577 positive or probable cases +5,247 from last week(total)

  • 7,765 deaths + 143 from last week (total)

  • 381 currently hospitalized - 70 from last week (as of 03/11/21)

State Daily Test Positivity:

  • 2.47% of COVID-19 tests administered came back positive (on 03/11/21)

  • UP from 1.84% on 03/04/21

Westport Vaccine Coverage:

Data Current as of: 03/11/2021

All Ages (est. 28,491 residents)

  • First Dose Coverage: 23.1% vaccinated [+5.40% from last week]

  • First Dose Count: 6,580 [+1,534 from last week]

Ages 65-74 (est. 2,472 residents)

  • First Dose Coverage: 82.21% vaccinated [+7.21% from last week]

Ages 75+ (est. 2,132 residents)

  • First Dose Coverage: 82.83% vaccinated [+1.83% from last week]

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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“COVID Has Proved how Creative, Resilient, and Compassionate Westporters Truly Are”, First Selectman Marks One Year Anniversary 

Press Release

First Selectman Jim Marpe today issued the following statement on the one-year anniversary of COVID-19 impacting Westport:

Today marks one year since Westport Weston Health District Director Mark Cooper, Westport Public Schools representatives, my fellow Selectpersons, various department heads and I held a press conference on the steps of Town Hall addressing the new “coronavirus” spreading throughout the world. At that time, we knew that COVID had been discovered in Westport, contact tracing efforts could not control its spread, and that community members should be made aware of the serious health and safety issues associated with the virus. We announced that the Public Schools and other town facilities would be closed. We were unaware of how circumstances would unfold in the coming days, weeks, and months to follow.

In the following days, as the town was further shut down and we all entered a phase of self-isolation, I was imploring everyone to “stay safe and stay home.” I reminded Westporters to maintain “virus distancing” everywhere; that stores and certain businesses remained open only to insure that food and essentials were available to the public; and that all other activities where people may congregate in groups must be avoided.

 

In short order, we realized what services were considered essential. We became reliant upon take-out food, curbside pickup, and planned for lines outside grocery stores and pharmacies. Working and schooling from home, scrambling for masks, toilet paper and disinfectant became common occurrences. It was a confusing and unsettling time. In retrospect, however, I believe the common conversations and collective experiences were a way to self-manage the significant emotional toll the pandemic was having on our lives.

We continue to remain careful and vigilant. Thankfully, due to many positive developments throughout the year, the science and information now available provides an understanding of what we must do to contain and combat the virus.  I am very thankful that we are in a position today to state that we are beginning to see an end; that much of the unknown has become known; and that we are stronger as a result.

On this solemn anniversary, I send my deepest condolences to those who have lost a loved one and to others who have seen the devastating effects of this pandemic. As a community, we mourn with you and send loving thoughts that the memories of your family members and friends will sustain you in this difficult time.

I would be wholly remiss if I did not emphatically state that, despite its obvious impact, COVID has proved how creative, resilient, and compassionate Westporters truly are. The support for first responders and health care workers, words of encouragement, heart-shaped signs, painted rocks, and donations of handmade PPE, proved to be a motivating force for many. These acts of kindness brought a sense of peace and calm during extremely challenging times. The community spirit and collective concern for all was, and continues to be, uplifting.

In conclusion, I want to express my sincere gratitude to the Westport residents, businesses owners, religious leaders, Town employees, and the multitude of volunteers who offered advice, maintained services, provided comfort, financial support, and generally surpassed expectations in caring for all of our neighbors. Your cooperation and unselfish participation, under extreme conditions, was extraordinary. I will always be thankful that Westporters were able to respond to and meet the unique challenge that was COVID.  And I am confident that brighter days are ahead. Please continue to be safe and healthy.

For more information on Westport’s response to COVID-19, visit westportct.gov/covid, or wwhd.org.  For up-to-date information on COVID-19 vaccination distribution plans in Connecticut, visit ct.gov/covidvaccine.

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Superintendent: 6 New COVID-19 Cases, 5 at Staples High School 

Press Release

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 afternoon we have 6 newly confirmed cases of COVID-19. The reports came from the following schools:

  • Coleytown Elementary School - 1

  • Staples High School - 5

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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CDC Guidelines for Vaccinated Individuals: Some Gatherings Permitted; Variants & Spreading Unsure

Changes for Vaccinated Individuals:

  • May gather indoors, unmasked, with other fully vaccinated people

  • May gather indoors, unmasked, with one other household of non-vaccinated people (who are not high risk).

    • If you are fully vaccinated, you can visit family members or friends who are low-risk. If they are vaccinated, they may visit you and your family so long as you’re low risk.

  • If exposed to COVID-19, you do not need to quarantine or get tested (unless symptomatic) 

Full Update from the CDC:

COVID-19 vaccines are effective at protecting you from getting sick. Based on what we know about COVID-19 vaccines, people who have been fully vaccinated can start to do some things that they had stopped doing because of the pandemic.

We’re still learning how vaccines will affect the spread of COVID-19. After you’ve been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, you should keep taking precautions in public places like wearing a mask, staying 6 feet apart from others, and avoiding crowds and poorly ventilated spaces until we know more.

What’s Changed

If you’ve been fully vaccinated:

  • You can gather indoors with fully vaccinated people without wearing a mask.

  • You can gather indoors with unvaccinated people from one other household (for example, visiting with relatives who all live together) without masks, unless any of those people or anyone they live with has an increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19.

  • If you’ve been around someone who has COVID-19, you do not need to stay away from others or get tested unless you have symptoms.

    • However, if you live in a group setting (like a correctional or detention facility or group home) and are around someone who has COVID-19, you should still stay away from others for 14 days and get tested, even if you don’t have symptoms.

What Hasn’t Changed

For now, if you’ve been fully vaccinated:

  • You should still take steps to protect yourself and others in many situations, like wearing a mask, staying at least 6 feet apart from others, and avoiding crowds and poorly ventilated spaces. Take these precautions whenever you are:

  • You should still avoid medium or large-sized gatherings.

  • You should still delay domestic and international travel. If you do travel, you’ll still need to follow CDC requirements and recommendations.

  • You should still watch out for symptoms of COVID-19, especially if you’ve been around someone who is sick. If you have symptoms of COVID-19, you should get tested and stay home and away from others.

  • You will still need to follow guidance at your workplace.

What We Know and What We’re Still Learning

  • We know that COVID-19 vaccines are effective at preventing COVID-19 disease, especially severe illness and death.

    • We’re still learning how effective the vaccines are against variants of the virus that causes COVID-19. Early data show the vaccines may work against some variants but could be less effective against others.

  • We know that other prevention steps help stop the spread of COVID-19, and that these steps are still important, even as vaccines are being distributed.

    • We’re still learning how well COVID-19 vaccines keep people from spreading the disease.

    • Early data show that the vaccines may help keep people from spreading COVID-19, but we are learning more as more people get vaccinated.

  • We’re still learning how long COVID-19 vaccines can protect people.

  • As we know more, CDC will continue to update our recommendations for both vaccinated and unvaccinated people.

Until we know more about those questions, everyone — even people who’ve had their vaccines — should continue taking basic prevention steps when recommended.

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Education, COVID-19 James Bairaktaris Education, COVID-19 James Bairaktaris

Superintendent: 5 New Cases in 3 Schools; 3 at Staples

From the WPS Reopening Dashboard 
From the WPS Reopening Dashboard
Press Release

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 5 newly confirmed cases of COVID-19. The reports came from the following schools:

  • Coleytown Elementary School - 1

  • Coleytown Middle School - 1

  • Staples High School - 3

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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