Health director, City Council leader quarantine after possible exposure
BRIDGEPORT — Health Director Lisa Morrissey has gone from battling the steep spike of coronavirus cases in the city to fighting the illness within her own home.
And City Council president Aidee Nieves also is in quarantine because a f amily member was diagnosed the night before with coronavirus.
“So I am benched,” Nieves said. She said she recently tested negative. The family member was experiencing “flu-like symptoms.”
Mayor Joe Ganim’s office Wednesday — after being approached by the Connecticut Post — confirmed rumors that Morrissey was quarantining “due to a household family member that was exposed to COVID-19.”
“A few of her family members have, unfortunately, tested positive since exposure, while others remain negative,” continued the statement. “Due to these circumstances, she is taking all necessary steps to protect her family by separating members who need to quarantine in order to stop the spread within her home and allow for adequate recovery time.”
Morrissey, who did not immediately respond to an interview request, is married with four children and lives in the Danbury area. She was hired away from the health director position in Danbury in May, and has since helped to improve Bridgeport’s coronavirus-messaging, expanded test-
ing and cracked down on businesses that violate measures like wearing masks and limiting indoor capacity aimed at stopping the spread.
The mayor’s office added that Morrissey, despite working remotely, remains “committed to the city’s COVID impact and response” and is receiving some additional supervisory assistance from the Chief Administrative Officer.
The council has been holding teleconference meetings rather than gathering in person since the pandemic struck Connecticut in mid-March, so Nieves’s contact with other Council members has been mostly virtual.
Morrissey and Nieves are two of the highest ranking municipal officials so far known to have been exposed to the coronavirus since it struck Connecticut in mid-March.
While this fall’s increase in infections on the city payroll recently caused Ganim to reduce in-person staffing within some departments, the administration has been tight-lipped about the personnel who have fallen ill and/or had to quarantine, arguing revealing identities — or even discussing specific positions/ offices impacted — violates privacy.
In contrast, New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker on Nov. 12 announced three of his top staff, including Health Director Maritza Bond, Morrissey’s predecessor in Bridgeport, had been exposed in separate incidents. New Haven Deputy Chief Administrative Officer Rebecca Bombero wrote about her two-week quarantine online on Facebook.
Gov. Ned Lamont, Lt. Gov Susan Bysiewicz and U.S. Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy all recently self-isolated as well after the governor’s head of communications tested positive.