Lucky to live here

In the current pandemic, we are fortunate to live in Connecticut, where the rate of infection is one of the lowest in the nation. Related to this effective COVID-19 management, about 65% of state residents approve of the Lamont administration’s response to the disease. Gov. Ned Lamont gained the support and confidence of the public by demonstrating openness and clear messaging and by heeding the advice of medical professionals.

State employees at all levels have also contributed to Connecticut’s success by demonstrating courage and commitment to the people they serve. State medical professionals, police and corrections officers, first responders at state institutions and social workers at the Department of Children and Families carry out their responsibilities each day while not always able to practice social distancing.

The coronavirus has forced the restructuring of state services in practically every area. Since March, when Gov. Lamont ordered state employees to work from home, every state agency has had to broaden its computer infrastructure and refine its teleconferencing capabilities. The results have been impressive. Department of Transportation workers continue to complete major construction projects on time. Professors in the state’s universities completed the spring semester using distance learning and are preparing to teach in a variety of formats going forward. After a careful vetting of inmates, the Department of Correction has completed one of the largest reductions of a prison population in U.S. history. Further, the Department of Health has won approval from the Centers for Disease Control and Food and Drug Administration to test for the coronavirus.

Given the lack of effective leadership at the federal level, a competent state government is more important now more than ever.

Ellen Russell Beatty, Milford