Lamont urges residents to follow CDC travel guidelines

Gov. Ned Lamont is urging all Connecticut residents who recently have traveled out of the country, or are planning international travel, to follow guidelines issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regarding coronavirus.

The guidelines are posted on the CDC’s website at bit.ly/ CDCcv19.

As of Wednesday, the CDC is advising those who recently have returned from a country designated as Level 3 — China, Iran, Italy and South Korea — to self-monitor in their homes for 14 days upon returning to the United States. Those who have recently returned from a country designated as Level 2 — Japan — should limit their interactions with others for 14 days after returning to the United States.

The CDC also recommends travelers avoid all nonessential travel to countries designated as Level 2 and Level 3.

Symptoms of the coronavirus can include a fever of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, a cough and shortness of breath. Travelers who feel sick should call ahead before visiting a doctor’s office or emergency room; tell the doctor about recent travel and the symptoms being experienced; avoid contact with others and avoid traveling while sick.

All residents should continue following some basic steps to protect themselves from coronavirus:

Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use alcohol-based sanitizer.

Avoid shaking hands as a greeting.

Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.

Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

Stay home when you are sick.

Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.

Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

HHS announces funding

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, through CDC, announced Wednesday that it will provide $500,000 in initial funding to support Connecticut’s response to the coronavirus disease, COVID-19.

“State and local governments are the backbone of our public health system. They have been essential partners in the ongoing work to contain and mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in the United States,” HHS Secretary Alex Azar said. “The Trump Administration is acting swiftly through every avenue we have to ensure state and local governments have the support they need to combat this outbreak.”

“CDC is committed to working with state, local, tribal and territorial public health departments to mitigate community spread of novel coronavirus in this nation,” CDC Director Dr. Robert R. Redfield said. “Our partners are on the front lines of this response and we support their efforts to increase needed public health capacity to confront the challenges this virus presents.”

CDC will use existing networks to reach out to state and local jurisdictions to access the funding.