State to distribute thermometers to businesses.
No-contact devices have been used during SARS, Ebola outbreaks
Gov. Ned Lamont announced Friday that the state will be distributing 50,000 infrared thermometers to businesses with between two and 10 employees, as well as nonprofits and places of worship to support safe reopening amid the pandemic.
The devices are no-contact thermometers that, from a distance, infer temperature from thermal radiation, and they have been used during the SARS and Ebola outbreaks.
Connecticut organizations can get one thermometer per physical address, and one can request a thermometer by filling out the forms at ct.gov/coronavirus. The Connecticut Business and Industry Association and its affiliate CONNSTEP will distribute the thermometers to the municipalities where organizations are located.
In his briefing Friday morning, Lamont said COVID-19 hospitalizations were down by about 70 since the day before, the “biggest one-day drop we’ve had in some time,” and about 40% less than the peak one week ago.
As of Friday afternoon, 36,085 people in the state have tested positive for COVID-19, an increase of 621 from the day before. The state has seen 3,285 related deaths, an increase of 66 from the day before, while 1,033 patients were hospitalized.
The state said 155,908 tests have been reported so far, an increase of 6,346 from the day before, indicative of efforts to ramp up testing, which officials say will be key to reopening the state.
In New London County, 844 have tested positive for COVID-19 as of Friday, 24 patients were hospitalized, and there have been 63 deaths linked to the disease. Lawrence + Memorial Hospital reported it had 16 COVID-19 patients and Westerly
Hospital, none; Backus Hospital had seven.
Lamont said while hospitalizations are continuing in the right direction, “what does not continue in the right direction are job numbers.” Several sectors — including outdoor dining, retail, and hair salons and barbershops — will be allowed to reopen May 20 under strict guidelines.
Asked who would enforce the guidelines, the governor said, “To start off, you will,” referring to the public. He said the state is working on rules for further enforcement as needed in the future, and that will be at the municipal level.
Asked if he would push back the
“It’s good to know that the town has my back and there’s more people out there showing support for seniors that aren’t going to get a graduation or a prom.”
JEREMY HYNEK, WATERFORD HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR
reopening date if coronavirus deaths don’t decline, Lamont said no, because while it “breaks your heart to see some of those numbers,” deaths “reflect things that were happening some weeks ago.”
Asked what the second phase of reopening would look like, Lamont said he’d wait to see what happens after the May 20 reopening and what we can learn. He said it’s “relatively good news” that Georgia hasn’t seen flare-ups since reopening but noted that consumers were slow to return to stores that have reopened.
Joining Lamont on the call Friday was Tom Moriarty, executive vice president and chief policy officer of CVS Health. CVS announced Thursday it is opening COVID-19 test sites at 12 pharmacies in Connecticut, though none in New London County.
Moriarty said Friday there will be 25 sites by the end of the month. He said sites aren’t using the Abbott test, about which the U.S. Food & Drug Administration recently raised concerns regarding early data showing false negative results.
Also in the Friday briefing, Lamont continued to defend the state’s controversial $2 million contract with Boston Consulting Group to help with the reopening strategy, which will be paid with federal funds.
Lamont noted the group also is being used by most neighboring states for COVID-19 response, as well as the seven-state coalition for reopening the economy in the Northeast.
He said he wants to “get the very best minds I can” to help get people back to work with a focus on public health and safety, and Boston Consulting Group will pick up where the volunteer Reopen Connecticut Advisory Group left off. The governor did not think the work the group is 74 16 9 4 3 27 8 145
844 63 doing could’ve been done by the state.
Echoing concerns about the contract from state Senate Minority Leader Len Fasano, R-North Haven, Sen. Heather Somers, R-Groton, criticized Lamont in an email Wednesday night for not working with Democrats and Republicans in the state legislature.