Light Rain Fog/Mist 45°
Tag:

Pandemic Response

Schools
COVID-19: CT Unveils New Guidance, Renews Commitment To Keep Schools Open COVID-19: CT Unveils New Guidance, Renews Commitment To Keep Schools Open
Covid-19: CT Unveils New Guidance, Renews Commitment To Keep Schools Open Though the positive COVID-19 infection rate in Connecticut has hit a new record high, the state is committed to keeping schools open amid the latest surge of fresh infections. During a COVID-19 briefing on Tuesday, Jan. 4, Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont said that despite the positivity rate topping 24 percent, the state has no intention to shut down schools and want to keep children in the classroom as long as possible. Connecticut Department of Health Commissioner Manisha Juthani said during the briefing that the state is directing school nurses to concentrate more on what will keep students …

SHARE

by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: Both NY, CT Get Poor Scores For Preventing Prisoners From Getting Virus, Study Says COVID-19: Both NY, CT Get Poor Scores For Preventing Prisoners From Getting Virus, Study Says
Covid-19: Both NY, CT Get Poor Scores For Preventing Prisoners From Getting Virus, Study Says New York and Connecticut both received low grades for their handling of the COVID-19 pandemic in state prisons, according to a criminal justice group. WSHU Public Radio reported that both states received a score of F+, higher than the average of states graded by the Prison Policy Initiative.  The news outlet said most states received a grade of F. New Jersey received a C, the highest score.  The Prison Policy Initiative graded states on about 30 metrics, including vaccination efforts, WSHU reported. Wanda Bertram, a member of the organization, told WSHU that Connecticut and…

SHARE

by Nicole Valinote
News
COVID-19: Infection Rate In CT Rises, New Deaths Recorded; Latest Breakdown Of Cases By County COVID-19: Infection Rate In CT Rises, New Deaths Recorded; Latest Breakdown Of Cases By County
Covid-19: Infection Rate In CT Rises, New Deaths Recorded; Latest Breakdown Of Cases By County Nearly two dozen new COVID-19 fatalities were reported in the past week in Connecticut as new variants of the virus continue to trouble health officials. In the past week, Connecticut hospitals recorded 23 new virus-related deaths, bringing the total up to 8,330 statewide as of Thursday, Aug. 19, though the infection rate is back on the rise. The daily positive COVID-19 infection rate of those tested in Connecticut has been fluctuating from 4.25 percent on Monday, Aug. 16, down to 2.99 percent the following day, and back up to 3.37 percent on Wednesday, Aug. 18.  On Aug. 18, Connectic…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Schools
COVID-19: New CDC Director Gives Guidance On Schools Reopening COVID-19: New CDC Director Gives Guidance On Schools Reopening
Covid-19: New CDC Director Gives Guidance On Schools Reopening With President Joe Biden seeking to open all elementary and middle schools for in-person learning within his first 100 days in office, the CDC has provided new guidance on getting students back into the classroom. The CDC is now saying that it is possible to return to the classroom without fully vaccinating all educators beforehand. “There is increasing data to suggest that schools can safely reopen and that safe reopening does not suggest that teachers need to be vaccinated in order to reopen safely," CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said on Wednesday, Feb. 3. "Vaccination of teachers is not…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: Port Chester Named As NY Yellow Cluster Zone Due To Case Increase COVID-19: Port Chester Named As NY Yellow Cluster Zone Due To Case Increase
Covid-19: Port Chester Named As NY Yellow Cluster Zone Due To Case Increase A Westchester village has become the first in the county to be designated as a COVID-19 “yellow zone,” due to the recent rise in cases in recent weeks. Like the rest of the country, New York has seen a surge in COVID-19 cases in recent weeks, prompting Gov. Andrew Cuomo to declare part of Port Chester as a warning zone near the Connecticut border as the village has sustained an average positive infection rate above 2.5 percent. Cuomo said that in response to the uptick in positive cases, the Westchester County Department of Health coordinated to provide rapid testing at Open Door on Grace C…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Schools
COVID-19: Parents Want Refunds From Fairfield County Preschools For Switch To Remote Learning COVID-19: Parents Want Refunds From Fairfield County Preschools For Switch To Remote Learning
Covid-19: Parents Want Refunds From Fairfield County Preschools For Switch To Remote Learning Some Fairfield County parents are demanding refunds from preschools after their children were forced to transition to remote learning due to the COVID-19 outbreak. A group representing parents of students served by Landmark Academy in Westport has launched a petition demanding partial refunds to account for distance learning and flexibility on deposits and tuition for the upcoming academic year. 
“We don’t fault Landmark (or any other organization) for being slow to act regarding a decision on tuition for this semester,” they wrote. “The turbulence and uncertainty created by the pandemic ha…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Lifestyle
COVID-19: Here's Percentage Of CT Residents Planning On Summer 'Staycations,' Survey Reveals COVID-19: Here's Percentage Of CT Residents Planning On Summer 'Staycations,' Survey Reveals
Covid-19: Here's Percentage Of CT Residents Planning On Summer 'Staycations,' Survey Reveals Despite being stuck inside for months during the COVID-19 pandemic, many in Connecticut still plan on staying local this summer rather than taking a vacation. A newly released survey of 7,500 adults across the country found that 57 percent of respondents in the Nutmeg State are more likely to vacation locally in Connecticut rather than travel outside out of COVID concerns. The national average found that 55 percent will plan on staying local over the dog days of summer, with Utah leading the way in residents looking forward to having a "staycation" at 85 percent, while Mississippians (25 pe…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Business
COVID-19: Clorox In 'Catch-Up Mode' After Seeing 500 Percent Spike In Demand During Pandemic COVID-19: Clorox In 'Catch-Up Mode' After Seeing 500 Percent Spike In Demand During Pandemic
Covid-19: Clorox In 'Catch-Up Mode' After Seeing 500 Percent Spike In Demand During Pandemic The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has forced Clorox, one of the country’s largest manufacturers of cleaning products, to go into “catch-up mode.” With cleaning and disinfecting items flying off store shelves during the pandemic, Clorox has reportedly produced 40 million more items in the first quarter of 2020 than it did in the same time frame last year, leaving it scrambling to meet the demand. According to an NBC News report, the company has seen a 500 percent increase in demand since the outbreak began in March, and has sold as much in a week as it typically would in a month. C…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Lifestyle
COVID-19: Half Of Americans Have Lost Job, Or Work Hours, Due To Pandemic, New Poll Says COVID-19: Half Of Americans Have Lost Job, Or Work Hours, Due To Pandemic, New Poll Says
Covid-19: Half Of Americans Have Lost Job, Or Work Hours, Due To Pandemic, New Poll Says Half the country has taken a financial hit due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, and most don’t believe they’ll be heading back to work soon, according to a newly released Marist College poll. According to the poll, 50 percent of Americans said they or someone in their household has lost their jobs or hours due to the virus, up from 18 percent from a previous poll just a month ago. "There are few households in the country that haven't been affected by this crisis, through health, through school, through jobs, from all walks of life, from all backgrounds," Barbara Carvalho, direc…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Lifestyle
COVID-19: Here's One Bright Spot In Record March Retail Sales Decline COVID-19: Here's One Bright Spot In Record March Retail Sales Decline
Covid-19: Here's One Bright Spot In Record March Retail Sales Decline Though the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has wreaked havoc on retail stores in the entire nation, grocery and beverage store sales skyrocketed to new heights, according to newly released data. While retailers have seen businesses plummet, grocery stores and beverage depots have seen sales increase by more than 25 percent since the outbreak began in early March, according to a new report from the National Retail Federation. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the overall retail business was down 8.7 percent from February to March, and down 6.2 percent at the same point last year. Th…

SHARE

by Zak Failla
Lifestyle
COVID-19: $500M New Legoland Location In Hudson Valley Scraps Planned July 4th Opening COVID-19: $500M New Legoland Location In Hudson Valley Scraps Planned July 4th Opening
Covid-19: $500M New Legoland Location In Hudson Valley Scraps Planned July 4th Opening The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) isn't only causing havoc with just about every American's life, it's also doing the same to their planned getaways. On Tuesday, March 31, Legoland New York announced that its planned opening for Saturday, July 4 has been delayed until sometime in 2021, due to the pandemic. “Nothing is more important to us than the health, safety, and security of our team, the partners we work with, and the communities we serve,” said Legoland New York Resort divisional director Stephanie Johnson.  Johnson said the pandemic has affected businesses worldwide, and by waiting,…

SHARE

by Kathy Reakes
Politics
COVID-19: 'We Face A Long Road Ahead - Stay Hopeful,' Obama Says, Sharing Inspiring Stories COVID-19: 'We Face A Long Road Ahead - Stay Hopeful,' Obama Says, Sharing Inspiring Stories
Covid-19: 'We Face A Long Road Ahead - Stay Hopeful,' Obama Says, Sharing Inspiring Stories Former President Barack Obama is urging Americans to stay hopeful amid the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. "The COVID-19 pandemic is forcing us to make sudden, drastic shifts to our way of life to keep ourselves and our communities healthy and safe," Obama said in a statement. "But even in this uncertain time, we can still find reasons for hope.  "People from every corner of the globe are carrying out selfless acts in times of need. While staying safe, they’re discovering creative, wholehearted ways to look out for others.  "And they’re demonstrating a value that guides th…

SHARE

by Daily Voice
News
COVID-19: What Does Virus Do Inside Your Body? Can You Get It Twice? COVID-19: What Does Virus Do Inside Your Body? Can You Get It Twice?
Covid-19: What Does Virus Do Inside Your Body? Can You Get It Twice? While the novel strain of coronavirus (COVID-19) has proven deadly to many, a larger portion of the population that contracts the disease will only experience moderate symptoms, health officials said. It has been established that the rapidly spreading COVID-19 virus is spread person-to-person within a six-foot range when a person coughs or sneezes. It is also possible for the virus to live on hard surfaces, which can then be spread by touching one’s mouth, nose or eyes. Earlier story: COVID-19 - Coronavirus Can Remain In Air 3 Hours, Live On Some Surfaces 2-3 Days, Tests Show According to …

SHARE

by Zak Failla