Positivity rate jumps to 2.4 percent: 5 things to know about COVID in CT
Here are the most important things to know about COVID-19 in Connecticut.
Oct. 16 Connecticut positivity rate drastically jumps to 2.4 percent
On Oct. 16, the state of Connecticut announced 802 new cases, two more deaths and no new hospitalizations. The positivity rate (the percentage of total tests that are positive) increased to 2.4 percent from 1.3 percent on Oct. 15.
Rolling seven-day average for positivity rate is at 1.7 percent
The rolling seven-day positivity rate average is at 1.7 percent, its highest in weeks according to a CT Insider analysis of state data. The positivity rate jumped to 2.4 percent on Oct. 16 from previously being at 1.3 percent on Oct. 15. For the past week, the average has varied between 1.3 and 1.5 percent until today.
Large Thanksgiving parties are a risk: Dr. Anthony Fauci
Dr. Anthony Fauci has said that families need to reconsider having large Thanksgiving parties. "That is unfortunately a risk, when you have people coming from out of town, gathering together in an indoor setting," Fauci, the nation’s leading expert on infectious diseases, told CBS news. "It is unfortunate, because that's such a sacred part of American tradition — the family gathering around Thanksgiving. But that is a risk."
Politico: Pfizer will not seek vaccine approval until after election
Pfizer, one of four U.S. drug manufacturers in late-stage coronavirus vaccine testing, said that it won’t seek authorization for a vaccine until after the election. "Let me be clear, assuming positive data, Pfizer will apply for Emergency Authorization Use in the U.S. soon after the safety milestone is achieved in the third week of November," the company’s CEO wrote, as Politico reported.
CDC releases guidelines for COVID testing in schools
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has released interim guidelines for coronavirus testing in schools. The guidance goes into detail on the types of testing, when testing is and is not recommended for students and staff, and which schools (and which people within schools) to prioritize testing. The agency made it clear that these are just guidelines, not mandates: “These considerations are for testing in school settings and are intended for K-12 school administrators working in collaboration with their state, tribal, local, and territorial public health officials.”