Connecticut’s 7-day rolling COVID-19 positivity rate jumped to 9.42% on Friday, according to the Department of Public Health.
Of the 60,527 tests reported in the last week, 5,700 came back positive for COVID-19.
There are currently 212 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 in Connecticut. Of the 212 patients hospitalized, 62 (29.25%) are not fully vaccinated, officials said.
People across the state are still paying close attention to the rising positivity rate.
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Dawning a surgical mask has become more of a safe habit for Mary Holter. It's an approach she has taken since the beginning of the pandemic. Holter told NBC Connecticut she is focused on keeping herself and family members out of the hospital which is why her guards against COVID-19 have remained up.
"This isn't a free for all; we need to take things seriously like it's not a joke," said Holter. "My parents are older, I have children around me, you just got to be precautious.”
The state's positivity rate is on the rise, and hospitalizations sit at 212. Both statistics are what epidemiologists have paid close attention to for the last two years.
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"I think we have to be mindful of what’s happening around us. You know we’re seeing higher levels of community transitions; we sort of have to go back to the things we’ve done all along," said Dr. David Banach, an epidemiologist at UConn Health. "We're not seeing rising hospitalizations despite seeing a high level of transmission; we've got a lot of things to help mitigate the overall impact at this point."
Banach listed masks, vaccines, and now anti-viral medications as becoming more available.
"I think we're in a much better position than we were in the past. We're still seeing high levels of community transmission, but we aren't seeing high levels of hospitalizations, we have a lot more tools in our arsenal," said Banach. "We are still seeing good support with vaccines in terms of protecting against severe infections."
For some, wearing a mask and getting tested can sometimes depend on the situation.
"When we're in large groups, we normally still have on a mask," said Taylor Lindsay of Cumberland, Rhode Island.
"We'll take COVID-19 tests if we have to go to see grandparents and stuff just to ensure we're safe," said Sarah Lancaster of Avon.
Banach is encouraging vaccinations and booster shots for those who are deemed most vulnerable, including those who are immunocompromised.
