Hospitalizations Climb, CT's Return To Work Order Reversed

Ridgefield CT

03 August, 2021

5:03 PM

Description

CONNECTICUT — The daily coronavirus positivity rate in the state has slipped back below 3 percent, in the latest set of numbers reported by the Connecticut Department of Public Health. As of Monday, the total of laboratory-confirmed and probable COVID-19 cases reported among Connecticut residents is 356,164, up 277 from the day before. The Centers for Disease Control and Preventions has upgraded the coronavirus spread in Litchfield County from "moderate" to "substantial." That brings all eight Connecticut counties to the virus transmission level where the agency recommends residents wear face coverings indoors. With the rapid increase in cases of COVID-19 in the state over the last 14 days due to the spread of the delta variant, the Connecticut Department of Public Health issued a statement Tuesday strongly recommending that all residents over age two years, whether vaccinated or unvaccinated, return to wearing masks when in indoor public spaces. Another indicator that the coronavirus won't be wrapping up tidily with the start of fall is a revised telework policy just reached between Connecticut and the State Employees Bargaining Agent Coalition, which represents several state employees unions. Gov. Ned Lamont had issued an order to state workers on May 13, mandating most return to work in-person. On Monday, the governor reversed the policy, allowing those working from home to continue to do so through Oct. 2. The SEBAC workers can make a request to work from home again, for part or all of their scheduled hours, in October. The choice to return to the pre-July 1 schedule does not apply to hazardous duty employees, or "those whose consistent presence at the work site or in the field is now required because of the reopening of in-person operations which were suspended during the pre-July 1, 2021, period." The governor said he currently had no plans to require state workers to be vaccinated when they eventually do return to their cubicles, but that his office was "looking into it." The number of residents hospitalized with the virus has been climbing slowly for the past month. At 165 beds on Monday, the coronavirus hospitalization rate has reached the level of mid-May. Lamont has stated that hospitalizations remain the most important metric taken into consideration by the state when deciding upon enacting new mitigation protocols. The majority, 55, of the new hospitalizations were in New Haven County. Hartford hospitals admitted 42 coronavirus patients. See Also: Spices Sold At CT Target, Walmart, Recalled For Salmonella Risk Man Charged With 101 Protective Order Violations: CT NewsHazmat Incident At Medical FacilityPatch Readers Recall Their Earliest And Fondest Memories Of MTV