A coronavirus test of will
Connecticut is barely holding its own in the battle against COVID-19
Faced with a second wave of coronavirus infections, the response in Connecticut has been profoundly different. Stores are open, people are going out to dinner, many employees are back in the office, schools are back in session. The results were predictable.
In assessing Connecticut’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, the contrast between the spring of 2020 and these last few months has been dramatic. In the spring, faced with a virus whose lethal power was clear, the state shut down. Led by Gov. Ned Lamont, who quickly empaneled a team of infectious disease experts to help guide him, businesses were told to have their employees work from home. Restaurants, bars and theaters were closed. Schools shifted to online learning.
Connecticut — not unlike other states — didn’t move fast enough. We soon became one of the deadliest states in the nation. But in time, the lockdown worked. The curve flattened. As we practiced rigorous social distancing and stayed home, the dying slowed. We saved each other.
Now, faced with a second wave of coronavirus infections that is no less lethal than the first, the response has been profoundly different. Stores are open, people are going out to dinner, many employees are back in the office, schools are back in session.
The results were predictable.
The positive test rate in Connecticut climbed above 10 percent Tuesday — the highest in eight months, while on Wednesday we recorded our highest single-day death total since May. The question of how severe Connecticut’s second wave would be has been answered. On May 20, the day the first phase of the reopening plan took effect, deaths stood at 3,529. Now they are above 6,500. Arguably, what’s changed the most between the first wave and the second is our collective willingness to tolerate a given level of sickness and death.
The reason for the governor’s less restrictive approach is clear, if not overtly stated. The state has avoided tightening its rules to avert an economic downturn. The spring lockdown forced tens of thousands out of work and led to the closure of restaurants and other small businesses. The sight of hundreds of our neighbors lining up at food-sharing events speaks to the level of need.
Now, with the economy open again and rebounding, we’re out and about. We’re gathering. We’re taking chances. And coronavirus is spreading. Yes, a vaccine is here, and thousands have
The sight of hundreds of our neighbors lining up at food-sharing events speaks to the level of need.
Now, with the economy open again and rebounding, we’re out and about. We’re gathering. We’re taking chances. And coronavirus is spreading. Yes, a vaccine is here, and thousands have been vaccinated. But we are still months away from wide-scale impact, and yet there has been little talk of further rollbacks as the situation deteriorates.
That’s a problem. If you don’t believe the data, take a drive around the state. Bars and breweries — so long as they serve a sandwich or two — are booming. The parking lots at big-box stores on any given weekend day are jammed. College students are throwing parties. To be fair, many business owners are rigorous about safety measures. Others, less so.
But the measures we’ve taken are not effective enough, and it’s time for the Gov. Lamont we saw last spring to reassert himself, to direct a step back so we can soon take three or four steps forward. To minimize economic fallout, the governor should consider imposing a limited, 30-day pause in a number of areas:
Demand that all businesses that can operate remotely do so.
Reduce indoor dining to 25 percent capacity or strictly enforce compliance of existing limits through the use of state resources. The towns are not built to do that.
Delay the beginning of the high school sports season until the 30-day pause is over in mid-February.
Delay the beginning of the spring semester at UConn until the 30-day pause is over in mid-February and ask other colleges to do the same.
Work with religious leaders, funeral directors and others on further restricting indoor gatherings.
Reduce allowed capacity at retail establishments where appropriate and enforce those limits.
The battle against the coronavirus is far from over, and we need to acknowledge the reality of where we are — and how much longer this will last. Infection rates are skyrocketing; deaths are climbing. We shouldn’t need the sight of critically ill patients waiting in ambulances for space to open up in an ER to take decisive action.
We have an opportunity — right now — to take a reasonable step back that could have an exponential impact. Thirty days would give the health care system time to roll out the vaccine to thousands more Connecticut residents at the same time that further social distancing measures would slow the pace of infections. The time for Lamont to act is now.
In the spring, we traded livelihoods for lives. Now we are trading lives for livelihoods. It is time to reset the balance.
It’s time for us, once again, to save each other.