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DPH Issues New Public Health Advisory for All CT Residents Amid Rise in COVID-19 Case
DPH Recommends All CT Residents Limit any Non-Essential Trips Outside the Home Between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.; High-Risk Individuals Should Take Extra Precautions
The Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) today is issuing a statewide public health advisory due to higher COVID-19 case rates across the state. In coordination with Governor Ned Lamont’s Executive order 9K, effective at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, November 6, 2020, DPH Acting Commissioner Deidre S. Gifford MD MPH is issuing an advisory for all Connecticut residents to stay home between the hours of 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. in order to reduce the risk of further viral transmission. The advisory applies to every Connecticut resident, except 1) those who are essential workers who must leave home in order to go to their jobs; and 2) anyone who must leave their home on an emergency basis to seek medical care or to purchase medical supplies, food or groceries.
Since September 20th, the number of new cases over a 14-day period in Connecticut has increased nearly 3-fold with 6,895 new cases reported during the period of October 18–November 1, 2020 compared to 2,537 cases reported during September 20–October 4. The average daily case rate for COVID-19 has climbed during the same period from 5.1 per 100,000 population to 14 per 100,000. In addition, at least 70% of Connecticut’s population now lives in either a red alert or orange alert community for COVID-19 infection. Hospitalizations for COVID-19 have increased from 68 on September 20th to 329 on October 29th, representing an increase of 483%.
Specifically, the Public Health Advisory recommends but does not mandate that:
- Those over age 60, and anyone with a chronic disease or obesity who are at higher risk for complications of COVID-19 take extra precautions and limit non-essential trips outside your home;
- Employers allow work-from-home as much as possible;
- Non-essential social or community gatherings of any size for any reason (e.g., parties, community meetings, celebrations or other social events) end by 9:30 pm or otherwise be canceled or postponed at this time;
- Everyone maintain at least a six foot distance from those who do not live with you;
- Everyone wear a mask whenever you leave home and wear a mask INSIDE your home if someone from outside your household is visiting;
- Everyone clean their hands frequently using soap and water, hand sanitizer, or isopropyl alcohol wipes. Washing hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds works best. Avoid touching your face; and
- Families and loved ones should limit visitation to long term care facilities.
This Public Health Advisory shall remain in effect until COVID-19 disease trends move in a more positive direction statewide and in accordance with future governor executive orders or commissioner orders as needed.
COVID-19 in the Town of Westbrook
Updated 11/20/20
Total # of COVID-19 Cases Among Westbrook Residents (Since the Beginning of the Pandemic) | Total # of Active Confirmed Cases Among Westbrook Residents | COVID-19 Associated Deaths Among Westbrook Residents |
98 | 15 | 1 |
- For the latest TESTING information, Click Here
- For the latest State of Connecticut COVID-19 Guidance, Click Here
- For the daily COVID-19 data report from the Connecticut Department of Public Health, Click Here
- For the Reopening Sector Rules, Click Here
- For information on the Regional Travel Advisory, Click Here
- For the CT Reopening Roadmap from Governor Lamont, Click Here
- For the Small Business Recovery Guide, Click Here
- For Governor Lamont’s Executive Orders, Click Here
- For the latest CDC Guidance, Click Here
⚠️COVID-19 Testing⚠️
For the latest TESTING information, Click Here
⚠️Face Coverings in Connecticut⚠️
Following recommendation from the CDC for everyone to wear cloth face coverings in public settings to reduce the spread of COVID-19, the State of Connecticut issued Executive Order 7NNN directing face coverings to be worn by anyone in public wherever a six-foot distance is unavoidable, including by employees while in the workplace. The
A CDC video explains how to make a face covering. This does not apply to anyone for whom doing so would be contrary to his or her health or safety because of a medical condition.
Guidance on face coverings has been issued to the state’s businesses.
⚠️CDC Calls on Americans to Wear Masks to Prevent COVID-19 Spread⚠️
See Below or Click Here
- CDC recommends that people wear masks in public settings and when around people who don’t live in your household, especially when other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain.
- Masks may help prevent people who have COVID-19 from spreading the virus to others.
- Masks are most likely to reduce the spread of COVID-19 when they are widely used by people in public settings.
- Masks should NOT be worn by children under the age of 2 or anyone who has trouble breathing, is unconscious, incapacitated, or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance.
- Masks with exhalation valves or vents should NOT be worn to help prevent the person wearing the mask from spreading COVID-19 to others (source control).
- How to Select Masks - Click Here
- How to Wear Masks - Click Here
- Considerations for Wearing Masks - Click Here
- How to Make Masks - Click Here
- For an instructional video by the United States Surgeon General on How to Make Your Own Mask or Cloth Face Covering - Click Here
- How to Wash Masks - Click Here
The simplest way to prevent infection is to avoid being exposed to the virus.
COVID-19 spreads mainly from person to person through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. These droplets can land in the mouth or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs. It may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes, but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads
We continue to ask our residents to follow these guidelines:
- Implement social distancing by avoiding close contact with others and maintaining at least 6 feet of physical separation
- If you must go out into public settings, such as grocery stores or pharmacies, per Governor Lamont's Executive Order, you must wear a mask or cloth face covering, as it may be difficult to achieve social distancing in these environments.
- Wash your hands frequently with soap and warm water
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands
- Cover your coughs and sneezes
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily, such as doorknobs, countertops, light switches, keyboards, toilets, and telephones
- Adhere to Governor Lamont’s Executive Orders, which can be viewed on the Governor’s website: Click Here
- If you’re experiencing COVID-19 related symptoms, such as fever, cough, or shortness of breath, contact your health care provider first before going to their place of work
- Maintain healthy practices, such as consuming nutritional food and doing in-home exercises
- Monitor the Westbrook Health Department website for COVID-19 updates
The Town of Westbrook Health Department would like to emphasize the importance of social distancing and mask wearing. Since COVID-19 is spread mainly from person to person through respiratory droplets, social distancing and mask wearing are the number one non-pharmaceutical interventions we can all practice at this time. This will require a community effort.
Is your child or teen feeling stressed about COVID-19?
There are many things you can do to support your child during this time:
- Take time to talk with them about COVID-19.
- Reassure your child and that it‘s normal to be upset.
- Reassure your child that they are safe.
- Try to keep up with a regular routine, including sleep and structured learning.
- Connect with friends and family through phone, text, or email.
To view more tips on how to support your child or teen, Click Here
Do you know of a Senior that requires help getting food and/or other basic necessities?
Please contact the Westbrook Senior Center: Phone: 860-399-2029 Email: CBurks@WestbrookCT.us
Westbrook Senior Center Website
Do you have friends or family who need COVID-19 information in a different language?
CDC’s COVID-19 website has options in Spanish, simplified Chinese, Vietnamese, and Korean. Be sure to click the other language tabs near the top of the page here: www.cdc.gov/coronavirus
Do you or someone you know communicate using American Sign Language (ASL) ?
Visit CDC’s YouTube channel to watch ASL videos on Social Distancing, Doing Your Part to Slow the Spread, Managing Stress and Anxiety, and more.
Click Here
For more information on COVID-19, please visit the following websites:
- Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) website, Click Here
- State of Connecticut Coronavirus website, Click Here
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on the State of CT’s Actions Related to COVID-19, Click Here
- Cases of COVID-19 in Connecticut by Town, Click Here
- Travel Advisories from the US Department of State, Click Here
- Food Programs & Services, Click Here and/or Here
- Stress & Coping, Click Here
- Pregnancy & Breastfeeding FAQs, Click Here
Message Regarding Health Department Services
During this current COVID-19 Pandemic, the Westbrook Health Department is continuing essential services, such as reviewing applications for septic system installations and inspections, soil testing, B100a, private wells, food service inspections, complaint investigations, and more. If needed, please contact the Health Department to discuss submitting an application, a pending application, inspections, or any concerns related to COVID-19.
Zachary Faiella, MPH, RS, Director of Health
Phone: 860-399-9869
Email: ZFaiella@WestbrookCT.us
Lee Archer, RS
Phone: 860-399-3018
Email: LArcher@WestbrookCT.us
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