New Haven Register (New Haven, CT)
Thumbs up, thumbs down
Thumbs up to Gov. Ned Lamont’s office launching a website — ct.gov/cannabis — to answer questions for residents about the recent legalization of recreational marijuana. There can be understandable confusion among residents since, for example, cannabis retail in the state is not likely to begin until next year. And while marijuana is now legal for adults 21 years of age and older, potential users may not know how much they can possess or consume. Ongoing updates on a public website can help everyone navigate this process.
Thumbs down to an increase of nearly 128,000 Connecticut residents on Medicaid since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The boost pushes the total
state figure to just shy of 1 million, and is attributed to job loss as a consequence of the crisis. Those figures will surely shift again as eligibility requirements change and more people find jobs, but it’s another grim reminder of the ancillary tolls of the pandemic.
Thumbs up to the surge in families taking in dogs during the pandemic. During this unprecedented time of social isolation, people across the nation found comfort by taking in pets. The boon has caused a backup for veterinarians and boarding services, but has had countless benefits — including reminders to get outdoors every day.
Thumbs down to the delta variant reminding us that Connecticut has not quite made it to the other side of the pandemic. The strain rose by a few
percentage points among the incidents of positive tests from week to week. It’s not an alarming number, translating to 48 confirmed people and a total of 3,302 in the state. But the delta variant is more transferable than the alpha strain, so it’s important to contain its spread lest we be forced to return to practices we have been happy to shed in recent weeks.
Thumbs down to a dramatic temperature spike in the average temperature in some Connecticut municipalities over the past two decades. Researchers
at University of Connecticut’s Department of Plant Sciences and Landscape Architecture haven’t figured out reasons for the rise yet, though much of it is in the area of Darien, Stamford, Greenwich and Norwalk. A good place to start will be to explore how much shade has been lost to development.
Thumbs up to Fourth of July 2021 doing a pretty fair impersonation of the “old normal.” No, not everything was quite that way it used to be, with masks still visible in crowds at fireworks displays and local celebrations, but it certainly didn’t resemble 2020 either. Connecticut residents embraced the chance to celebrate dwindling COVID numbers, and (for the most part) did it safely.
Thumbs down to a lack of statewide standards on how patient data is collected and used on race, ethnicity and language. The shortcoming was revealed in a new report commissioned by the Connecticut Health Foundation. Anyone who got the COVID vaccine may have noticed that those forms lacked specifics. We’re not surprised given Connecticut’s history of following “home rule” from town to town, but this is a problem with an easy remedy. Connecticut should model itself on best practices in other states.