The health director for Wilton has ordered the School Sisters of Notre Dame property and facilities closed to visitors and the public after 30 residents and members of the staff tested positive for COVID-19 and people who walk on the property are urged to stop doing so, according to a statement from Wilton First Selectwoman Lynne Vanderslice.
A news release on the town of Wilton website said a state Department of Health COVID-19 Response Team will be at the site today at the request of Wilton’s health director.
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More than 70 retired nuns live on the property. Fifteen recently received COVID-19 vaccinations and the town said the remaining residents and staff were scheduled to be vaccinated today by Visiting Nurse and Hospice of Fairfield County.
The residents and staff were not eligible to be vaccinated under Phase 1A, but the town and Visiting Nurse & Hospice of Fairfield County worked with the management of School Sisters of Notre Dame for permission to perform onsite vaccinations.
“We are all saddened the outbreak happened prior to those vaccinations,” Vanderslice said in a statement.
Prior to this outbreak, only one resident had tested positive early in the pandemic, the first selectwoman said. At that time, a section of the facility that was previously dedicated as an Alternate Site for COVID-19 related emergencies was placed into operation to isolate and monitor residents who had been exposed.
Wilton’s health department is conducting contact tracing and town officials said at this point, there is no evidence of related community spread within Wilton.
Vanderslice is asking all Wilton residents to be extra vigilant over the next few weeks.
