HOSPITALIZATIONS, POSITIVITY RATE UP
Federal funds on the way to improve vaccine access, equity
Connecticut’s daily positivity rate for COVID-19 jumped to 5% Tuesday, along with an increase in hospitalizations, in the latest sign that the coronavirus remains prevalent in the state.
Though COVID-19 deaths have declined as most older residents have been vaccinated, experts warn that a rise in cases and hospitalizations might still lead to increased death. The state on Tuesday announced seven coronavirus-linked deaths, making 45 in the past week and 7,930 over the full pandemic.
“People are still dying from this disease, and people will continue to die from this disease” said Keith Grant, senior system director for infection prevention at Hartford HealthCare. “There are people who really do believe that we’ve turned that corner and people are not dying from this disease. Over half a million people have died [nationally] and people are still adding to that number daily.”
Gov. Ned Lamont reported 1,074 new COVID-19 cases Tuesday out of 21,459 tests. Connecticut’s seven-day positivity rate stands at 3.8%, down a touch from Monday but higher than the state has recorded for most of the past two months. OnMonday, the state reported a daily positivity rate of 3.28% for COVID-19 tests over the weekend.
Connecticut currently has 505 patients hospitalized with COVID-19, up 21 from Monday. Despite high levels of vaccination among older residents, hospitalizations have increased over much of the past
month and remain higher than they were through most of March.
Lamont acknowledged Tuesday that hospitalizations “have trended up a little bit” but said he isn’t overly concerned because COVID-19 cases have become severe.
“People who are younger and less sick ... are still getting admitted to the hospital because we have the capacity to do it, but the fatalities are still lower,” he said. “Right now, I feel like it’s a situation wehave under control, but it only works if you all get vaccinated.”
About 39% of Connecticut residents had received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose as of Tuesday afternoon, third among all states, while about 24% had been fully vaccinated. As of last week, all residents 16 and older are now eligible for vaccination.
At a walk-up clinic outside the Swift Factory in Hartford on Tuesday, Lamont and Mayor Luke Bronin emphasized the importance of vaccination.
“It’s good for you, it’s good for your family, and when you’ve had your vaccine go tell a friend and have them tell a friend,” Lamont said. “It’s like an old-fashioned game of telephone. That’s how we make a difference, that’s howwe break the back of COVID and get back to a really amazing summer here
in Hartford and across the state.”
Bronin said the city will continue to host walk-up clinics, exclusively for Hartford residents, almost daily moving forward — including WednesdayattheFreeCenter on NewBritain Avenue.
“A big part of our effort to get our community vaccinated is to remove every barrier, to make it as easy as possible,” Bronin said.
Money for vaccine access, hesitancy
Connecticut will receive about $34 million from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to improve vaccine access and equity in the state, the federal agency announced Tuesday.
At least 75% of the money, which comes from two recent federal relief bills, must be spent on programs and initiatives aimed at increasing vaccination “among racial and ethnic minorities.” At least 60% must go toward local health departments, communitybased organizations, and community health centers.
“Millions of Americans are getting vaccinated every day, but we need to ensure that we are reaching those in the communities hit hardest by this pandemic,” said Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the CDC. “This investment will support state and local health departments and community-based organizations as they work on the frontlines to increase vaccine access, acceptance, and uptake.”
Connecticut, like many other states, has experienced disparities in its COVID-19 vaccine rollout, with residents in suburban and rural towns more likely to have been vaccinated than those in cities and white residents more likely to have been vaccinated than Black and Latino ones.
Lamont has previously said this money will go in part toward door-to-door canvassing and outbound calls seeking to get more people signed up for vaccination.