Coronavirus Outbreak

There are 45 more COVID-related deaths and the state’s positivity rate slightly increased to 4.93%. A total of 6,819 people have died from COVID-19 complications as of Friday. Of over 40,000 tests performed, 2,019 came back positive. On Thursday, the positivity rate was 4.27%. Net hospitalizations have decreased by 11. There are now 1,058 people in Connecticut hospitals with the…

On his first full day in office, President Joe Biden signed 10 executive orders aimed at combating the coronavirus pandemic, including one broadening the use of the Defense Production Act to expand vaccine production.

Two more Connecticut residents have tested positive for the UK COVID-19 variant, according to state officials. A total of four Connecticut residents have now tested positive for the new strain of the virus. The two additional people who tested positive for COVID variant B.1.1.7 are family members of one of the first two people with the virus in the state….

Thursday marks exactly one year since the U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention reported the nation’s first confirmed case of the coronavirus – on Jan. 21, 2020

As the United States struggles with its coronavirus vaccine rollout, President-elect Joe Biden’s top health officials are confident there will be enough coronavirus vaccine doses to meet the incoming administration’s goal of inoculating 100 million people in 100 days. The country desperately needs the vaccines as the virus continues to spread across much of the country. On Monday, California became...

The state’s largest COVID-19 vaccine drive-thru clinic opened in East Hartford on Monday. The former Pratt & Whitney runway on Runway Road has been converted into a 10-lane mass vaccine clinic. There are several large signs directing drivers on how to get back there from Silver Lane. The Pfizer vaccine will be administered there by the Community Health Center....

As the United States struggles with its coronavirus vaccine rollout, President-elect Joe Biden pledged Friday to maximize the available supply of vaccines and materials needed to administer them when he takes office on Wednesday. He also unveiled a $1.9 trillion “American Rescue Plan” to confront the virus and provide temporary support for a shaky economy. So far, more than 11…

Food benefits for all Connecticut households enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will increase by 15% starting this Wednesday. The CT Department of Social Services announced it will provide a total of $25.5 million in additional federal food benefits. The assistance is a part of the $900 billion stimulus package Congress agreed upon. The aid will be distributed…

The largest COVID-19 vaccine drive-thru clinic in Connecticut will open Monday morning. Pratt & Whitney in East Hartford is being converted into a 10-lane mass vaccine clinic. There, the Pfizer vaccine will be administered by the Community Health Center. Vaccines will be available by appointment only to those who fall under phase 1a and 1b. As of Monday, people 75…

President-elect Joe Biden outlined his administration’s vaccination plan on Friday as the U.S. has seen more than 23 million confirmed coronavirus cases and over 392,000 deaths, according to NBC News. So far, more than 11 million Americans, or 3% of the total U.S. population, have received their first shot. But rapid expansion of COVID-19 vaccinations to senior citizens across the…

A man was arrested after being accused of refusing to wear a face mask at the New Haven Superior Courthouse on Friday. Officials said the incident happened at 121 Elm Street at approximately 3 p.m. Troopers said they responded to the courthouse for a complaint of a disturbance. Pedro Borrero, 36, was not wearing a face mask when he entered…

Connecticut’s COVID-19 positivity rate has increased to 6.20% as over 40 more people have died from the virus. The state’s death toll is now 6,594. Of more than 30,000 tests performed, 1,878 came back positive. A total of 223,422 coronavirus tests have come back positive since the virus emerged in Connecticut. Net hospitalizations have decreased by 20 and 1,098 people…

A coalition of groups is calling for a delay in next week’s planned reopening of some schools in New Haven. The city has kept theirs closed since the beginning of the pandemic, unlike almost every other district in the state which had resumed at least some in-person learning. “COVID rates are as high as they’ve ever been here,” said...

The United States on Wednesday surpassed 23 million confirmed coronavirus cases, the same day that Texas became the second state to top 2 million cases, according to a tally by NBC News.

The state’s COVID-19 positivity rate once again decreased, this time to 4.37%, as 17 more deaths were reported since Wednesday. There is now a total of 6,553 COVID-related deaths. Of over 22,000 tests performed, 968 came back positive. The state’s 7-day rolling positivity rate average is 7% and is relatively steady, but trending upwards a bit, according to Gov. Ned…

California, which has been suffering through a surge in coronavirus cases, saw a rare bright spot Wednesday as enough northern counties saw their COVID-19 rates fall to allow some reopening.

President-elect Joe Biden received his second dose of the coronavirus vaccine on Monday as the nation continues to ramp up its vaccination campaign.

People over the age of 75 can start making appointments to get the coronavirus vaccine as early as this week as the state gets ready to move into phase 1b of vaccine distribution. Starting Monday, providers will be able to fill vaccination appointments for those over the age of 75, according to Governor Ned Lamont. The governor said that starting…

Over the weekend, the United States topped 22 million virus cases and 374,000 deaths since the start of the pandemic, according to a tally by NBC News.

Since September of 2019, Laura Ward of Avon has battled the inflammatory disease pulmonary sarcoidosis in her lungs. “I am at higher risk of catching things like the flu and COVID and if I do, my symptoms would most likely be on the severe side,” she explained. In November, she found out that her upcoming appointment to see her pulmonologist…

It took just 39 new coronavirus cases for health authorities in China to put almost 11 million people into lockdown in the city of Shijiazhuang, NBC News reports. Health officials took no chances on Wednesday, sealing off the capital of the industrial Hebei province and ordering a mass testing drive. Travel restrictions were put in place in the remainder of the region, which...

The Chief of Staff for Lt. Governor Susan Bysiewicz announced that a member of her staff has tested positive for COVID-19. The staff member took a COVID test on Thursday and received the positive test result Friday evening, according to Chief of Staff Adam Joseph. This is the first known COVID case within Bysiewicz’s office. The person who tested...

She’s been analyzing COVID cases in Connecticut for nearly a year and on Wednesday night, Yale School of Public Health Postdoctoral fellow Tara Alpert made a milestone pandemic discovery. “I was the one who was doing the sequencing and the analysis and actually got to see those numbers pop up on my screen first,” Alpert said. What the analysis...

It has been two weeks since the Christmas holiday and public health leaders in Connecticut are starting to see the anticipated post-holiday spike in COVID-19 cases. “Here in the first week of January, we have seen an increased number of cases and our test positivity rate is going up as well,” Deidre Gifford, the state’s acting public health commissioner,...

A total of 37 more people have died of COVID-19 as the positivity rate jumps up to 8.46%. The death toll is now 6,324. Of over 38,000 tests performed since Thursday, 3,236 came back positive. Net hospitalizations increased by 22 and a total of 1,109 people are now hospitalized with the virus. On Thursday, the state surpassed 200,000 positive COVID-19…

As the coronavirus continues to spread in what is believed to be a post-holiday surge, the United States has reported more than 21.6 million virus cases and 365,000 deaths since the start of the pandemic, according to a tally by NBC News.

A COVID-19 variant first found in the United Kingdom and believed to be more easily transmitted is now in Connecticut after the state confirmed two cases on Thursday, the governor’s office announced. The variant, known as B.1.1.7, was found in two people between the ages of 15 and 25 who reside in New Haven County, according to the state. One…

The United States reported a record number of coronavirus cases and deaths on Wednesday, according to a tally by NBC News. Since the beginning of the pandemic, the U.S. has seen more than 21 million cases and 360,000 deaths.

The state has now surpassed 200,000 positive COVID-19 cases and the positivity rate went down to 6.28%. Of over 52,000 tests performed since Wednesday, 3,304 came back positive. An additional 57 people died from the virus. The state’s COVID death toll is now 6,287. Hospitalizations decreased by 52 overnight. There are now 1,087 people hospitalized with the virus in Connecticut….

The United States has recorded more than 21 million cases and 355,000 deaths since the start of the pandemic, according to a tally by NBC News. Health officials fear the surge in cases and deaths will continue as post-holiday air travel hit its highest level on Sunday since mid-March.

The U.S. has recorded more than 21 million cases and 355,000 deaths since the start of the pandemic, according to a tally by NBC News. Health officials fear the surge in cases and deaths will continue as post-holiday air travel hit its highest level on Sunday since mid-March.

As 2020 came to a close, the United States saw the deadliest month of the coronavirus pandemic yet. So far, more than 350,000 coronavirus-related deaths have been reported in the U.S., according to a tally by NBC News.

A retired Connecticut State Police trooper and current deputy chief of the East Brooklyn Fire Department has died of COVID-19. Patrick Dragon, 50, died Saturday night at Hartford Hospital. Dragon, born and raised in Brooklyn, Conn., was a state trooper for 20 years. He was among the first to respond to the deadly shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in…

The Connecticut Education Association is urging schools in the state to move to an all-remote learning format through mid-January amid a rise in COVID-19 cases. In a statement, CEA President Jeff Leake said he is asking public school superintendents to prioritize the safety of students, teachers and staff by moving to online learning. “We thank these superintendents for putting safety…

Another Connecticut prison inmate has died of COVID-19, the Department of Correction announced Saturday. The 69-year-old man was transferred from the Agency’s MacDougall-Walker Medical Isolation Unit to an outside hospital for treatment on Dec. 21. He later died early Saturday morning, officials said. The DOC said the man entered the Connecticut correctional system in June of 2006. He was serving…

Connecticut’s COVID-19 positivity rate has decreased slightly to 7.06% and over 100 more deaths have been reported in the past two days. More than 6,000 people have now died from the virus. The state’s death toll is now 6,099. Hospitalizations have decreased by 80, bringing the state’s total to 1,056. Of over 62,500 tests administered, 4,412 came back positive. Three…

Starting Friday, an estimated 1.7 million workers in the state of Connecticut will see half of a percent of every paycheck go to the Paid Family and Medical Leave Trust Fund. However, they won’t be able to access any paid leave for one year.  “The idea is to fund the plan in year one so that when benefits become...

As the world welcomes the New Year, the coronavirus pandemic continues to surge, with authorities announcing that a variant of the virus first discovered in the United Kingdom has appeared in several areas in the United States.

For weeks, fears of even greater uncontrolled community spread of COVID due to holiday gatherings became part of our daily conversation in Connecticut. The post-Thanksgiving and post-Christmas bumps in our state’s coronavirus positivity rate seemed to bear out those concerns. Now everyone is waiting to see what the New Year’s Eve celebrations bring in terms of more COVID cases....

As countries around the world begin to ring in the New Year, the coronavirus continues to surge, with authorities announcing that a variant of the virus first discovered in the United Kingdom has appeared in several areas in the United States. Meanwhile, in more hopeful news, China authorized its first homegrown COVID-19 vaccine for general use Thursday, allowing it to…

A Bridgeport sports bar was fined $10,000 for violating the state’s COVID-19 gathering size restrictions. Mango Z Sports Bar, located at 456 Connecticut Ave., had more than 25 people inside of the establishment in the early morning hours of Dec. 20, according to a spokesperson for Gov. Ned Lamont. The spokesperson said police initially responded to reports of shots fired…

Connecticut’s COVID-19 positivity rate remained higher than we’ve seen the past few weeks at 8.95% and 31 more deaths were reported. Yesterday, the state’s COVID-19 positivity rate spiked to 9.14%, a jump from the 5.64% reported the day before. Of nearly 23,000 tests performed, 2,045 came back positive. The state’s death toll is now just shy of 6,000. Hospitalizations have…

The U.S. has recorded more than 19.5 million coronavirus cases and over 338,000 deaths since the start of the pandemic, according to a tally by NBC News. Here are the latest coronavirus updates from the U.S. and elsewhere.

In the latest in a political battle over stimulus checks meant to aid Americans during the coronavirus pandemic, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell blocked Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s Tuesday attempt to increase direct payments in the year-end coronavirus relief bill to $2,000 by a unanimous vote, the day after the House of Representatives voted in favor of sending $2,000 direct payments...

Over the weekend, the United States surpassed 19 million confirmed coronavirus cases, according to tally by NBC News. And health officials are worried virus cases and deaths will continue to spike after millions of Americans traveled to see friends and family for the holidays, ignoring pleas to stay home.

Leaders of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation announced they began distributing the COVID vaccine on Monday. They say tribe firefighters were the first to receive the Moderna vaccine. The tribal nation said they are focused on vaccinating the entire employee population, beginning with first responders and those who are most at risk. Vaccinations will continue to be distributed with the...

President Donald Trump signed a COVID relief and government funding bill Sunday night after a week of threatening to veto the bill for its “low” direct cash payments of $600 to eligible Americans. Of the $900 billion COVID bill, Connecticut is expected to get over $4 billion in direct relief. A large chunk of the money, $1.6 billion, will go…

As Americans gather with family for Christmas, some officials are worried it could exacerbate already spiking numbers of coronavirus cases and deaths. Adding to their concerns, data from the Transportation Security Administration shows more Americans traveled by plane on Dec. 23 than any single day since March.

As the United States continues its vaccination campaign, the Trump administration announced Wednesday a deal with Pfizer for an additional 100 million doses of its coronavirus vaccine. So far, more than 1 million people in the U.S. have received the first of two doses, the director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.

The United States has had its deadliest year ever, with deaths expected to top 3 million for the first time — due mainly to the coronavirus pandemic. That’s at least 400,000 more deaths than in 2019.

The Connecticut Department of Correction announced that a second inmate died of COVID-related complications in the span of two days. Officials said a 69-year-old man was transferred from the Agency’s MacDougall-Walker Medical Isolation Unit to an outside hospital for treatment on Dec. 15 where he later died. The man last entered the correctional system in October of 2015 and was…

Late Monday night, Congress passed a $900 billion COVID-19 economic relief package, which would establish a temporary $300 per week supplemental jobless benefit and a $600 direct stimulus payment to most Americans. The bill is now headed to the White House for President Donald Trump’s signature.

The U.S. has recorded more than 18 million coronavirus cases and over 319,000 deaths since the start of the pandemic, according to a tally by NBC News.

The Connecticut Department of Correction announced that another prison inmate has died of COVID-19. A 69-year-old man was transferred from the Agency’s MacDougall-Walker Medical Isolation Unit to an outside hospital for treatment on Nov. 26 where he later died, officials said. The man entered the correctional system in May of 2000 and was serving a 60-year sentence, suspended after 40…

Hartford Hospital says they expect the arrival and distribution of the Moderna COVID vaccine by 9 p.m. on Monday. Following the arrival of the vaccine, 10 frontline healthcare workers from Hartford Hospital will receive the vaccine, according to a hospital spokesperson. Moderna’s vaccine started shipping Sunday to sites across the nation, with 5.9 million doses scheduled across for delivery this…

A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advisory committee recommended Sunday that the next groups to receive the COVID-19 vaccines in the coming weeks should be people ages 75 and older and front-line essential workers.

Bradley International Airport was busy on Saturday with people traveling for the holidays. Throughout the day, many passengers arrived and were required to make a choice. At 12 a.m. Saturday, a modified travel advisory went into effect. Travelers entering the state from any location, with the exception of New York, New Jersey or Rhode Island, must quarantine for 10 days…

There will be new guidelines put in place for Connecticut’s COVID travel advisory starting Saturday, the governor announced Friday evening. Governor Ned Lamont said he signed an executive order revising previous guidelines to align with recently modified CDC guidance. Starting Saturday, the travel advisory will apply to all travelers, both national and international, entering Connecticut from any location with...

There will be new guidelines put in place for Connecticut’s COVID travel advisory starting Saturday, the governor announced Friday evening. Starting Saturday, the travel advisory will apply to all travelers, both national and international, entering Connecticut from any location with the exception of New Jersey, New York and Rhode Island. Governor Ned Lamont said he signed an executive order...

Connecticut’s COVID-19 hospitalizations have decreased again as the positivity rate remains in the 6% range. There are 1,167 total hospitalizations. That is a decrease of 38 from Thursday’s numbers. There is a 6.85% positivity rate. Of over 39,000 tests performed, 2,680 came back positive. An additional 29 people have died from COVID-19 overnight. The state’s death toll is now 5,581….

Before COVID hit in March, the hottest topic at the state capitol was whether to eliminate the religious exemption to childhood vaccines. With the COVID vaccine on everyone’s mind, does that complicate the debate?  “It’s probably not complicated by the facts but probably more complicated by the emotion of it,” incoming House Speaker Matt Ritter said.   Ritter has promised...

A scientist taking part in the World Health Organization’s mission track down the origins of the coronavirus says they plan to sift through samples and medical data from China to help determine where the bug came from

Norwalk public schools are switching to full remote learning for roughly two weeks starting Dec. 17, according to school officials. The school district said they believe switching to remote learning is the best way to provide consistency to families and staff. School and office staff will also work remotely to ensure that classes and operations continue without interruption, school officials…

Governor Ned Lamont announced that COVID-19 vaccines will start being distributed to health care workers and long-term care facilities in Connecticut as early as Monday. The announcement comes after Connecticut’s COVID-19 Vaccine Advisory Group’s Science Subcommittee submitted recommendations to the governor that the vaccine should be distributed as soon as possible. Lamont is ordering the CT Department of Health...

Lawrence and Memorial Hospital, based in New London, is preparing to receive hundreds of doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine by early next week. If the Pfizer vaccine is given the green light, about 31,000 doses are expected to arrive in Connecticut by Monday. Healthcare workers are among the first group to receive the vaccine in the state. “The hospitals will…

As we await what experts believe will be an imminent FDA approval of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine, leading Connecticut doctors, public health experts and politicians, among many other local leaders, are readying for its rollout across the state: a shot in the arm to fight this pandemic. While it may soon be here literally, it’s going to take time...

Norwich public schools will transition to remote learning starting Dec. 21 due to staffing concerns, school officials said Friday. The school district will remain in a remote learning model from Dec. 21 to 23. Students will return to hybrid learning starting Jan. 4 after winter break. School officials said that for the week of Dec. 14, schools will remain in…

A 23-member advisory panel voted 17 to 4 Thursday to recommend Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine to the Food and Drug Administration.  One of the members of the panel was a Connecticut attorney who voted in favor of the emergency use authorization for people over the age of 16.  “Over 3,000 people in America every day are going to be dying then…

Connecticut’s hardest-hit community is starting to circle the calendar for the day they’ll receive the COVID-19 vaccine. “We have every evidence that this is coming together,” Matthew Barrett, president and CEO of the Connecticut Association of Healthcare Facilities and Connecticut Center for Assisted Living, said. Barrett said some of the state’s 213 nursing homes are now scheduling their COVID-19...

Bin228’s Hartford location is closed indefinitely because of COVID-19 struggles. “We are afraid. We have to work but know we could bring this disease back to our children, our siblings or our aging parents. But always, no matter what, we are friends. We are here, for you. And we are sinking,” the restaurant said in a Facebook post. For...

The University of Connecticut men’s basketball team is pausing all activities after a member of the program tested positive for COVID-19, officials said Sunday. Team activities will remain on hold until contact tracing and additional testing is complete and it is deemed safe by medical professionals to return, according to university officials. It is unknown if the person who...

Qawa Coffee Co. in Middletown is closing indefinitely because of business concerns amid COVID-19. “Despite being a successful business, we feel bullied into closing because of the unrealistic expectations of paying rent and maintenance fees for the months that we were forced to be closed by the government, who denied us any relief grants,” they said in an Instagram post….

Governor Ned Lamont’s Deputy Communications Director, Rob Blanchard, said he has tested positive for COVID-19. “On Saturday, I received notification that a COVID test I had taken Thursday was positive for the virus,” Blanchard said in a tweet on Sunday. “I cannot pinpoint the precise location that I may have contracted the virus as I was negative for my...

A member of Governor Ned Lamont’s staff has tested positive for COVID-19, according to Chief of Staff Paul Mounds. The staffer was in proximity of the governor, but he does not meet the criteria for close contact as outlined in CDC guidelines, according to Mounds. The individual is experiencing mild symptoms and is currently in self-isolation, Mounds said. Contact...

“We’ve seen a whole lot of tragedy. We’ve seen a whole lot of cases,” said Dr. Toshita Kumar, Bristol Hospital pulmonary critical care physician. Bristol Hospital staff recorded video of their intensive care unit exclusively for NBC Connecticut viewers. It’s where they treat their sickest patients. For safety sake, NBC Connecticut did not go inside. While we aren’t showing...

There are 35 new COVID-related deaths and the positivity rate has decreased to 5.52% since Thursday. Net hospitalizations also decreased by 41, bringing the state’s total to 1,150. Of nearly 28,000 coronavirus tests administered, 1,538 came back positive. The death toll is now 5,146. Yesterday, Governor Ned Lamont announced that Connecticut’s COVID-19 numbers showed the highest positivity rate the state…

As the state expects vaccines to start being distributed in mid-December, many are left wondering who will get the vaccine first and how many doses will be given to the state? The number of vaccinations distributed in Connecticut, along with when they will be distributed, are listed in the chart below. It is predicted that during the week of Dec….

Governor Ned Lamont announced Thursday that the state has received a federal extension of National Guard COVID-19 support through the end of March. This means that the federal government will provide the state with a 75% cost-share through this time period. Previously, Connecticut’s most recent authorization was set to expire on Dec. 31 but has now been pushed to March…

When COVID hit in March, parents with small children withdrew their young children from child care centers, forcing more than 60 to close their doors for good while others struggled to stay open. “I’m still down to three kids and it’s difficult. It’s very difficult,” Dorothelia Barnett said. “You know, I’ve got bills to pay. I have a mortgage...

There’s nothing quite like a tree lighting to get people into the holiday mood, but this year, a lot of cities and towns are canceling those events. One town is asking residents to find a different way to celebrate by thinking local. With the flick of a switch, colorful lights brightened the Milford Green Friday night. It lifted the...

East Haven Mayor Joseph Carfora announced on Saturday that he tested positive for COVID-19. In a statement on Facebook, Carfora said he found out he tested positive for the virus late Thursday. He said that he initially felt mild allergy-like symptoms, which prompted him to get tested. Since then, the symptoms progressed to flu-like symptoms, Carfora said. The East Shore…

Connecticut’s COVID-19 positivity rate now stands at 4.81% and hospitalizations continue to increase. With an increase of 49 hospitalizations, there are now over 1,000 people in Connecticut hospitals with COVID-19. Since Wednesday, over 3,400 people have tested positive for the virus out of over 71,000 tests performed. An additional 35 people have died over the past two days. The death…

Governor Ned Lamont is urging Connecticut residents to keep their Thanksgiving gatherings to their immediate family this year amid rising COVID-19 concerns. He is advising that gatherings be kept to no more than 10 people this Thanksgiving. He is also warning people that a negative coronavirus test does not mean you can safely socialize. If you plan to gather with…

The University of Connecticut’s women’s basketball team is pausing all team activities after a member of the program tested positive for COVID-19. Team activities will remain on hold for at least 14 days per university protocol. Activities will resume when it is deemed safe to do so by medical professionals, the university said. The Huskies will not compete in...

The Consolidated School District of New Britain will move to full remote learning for two weeks starting Monday, Nov. 30, according to school officials. The online learning model will remain in effect through Friday, Dec. 11, the school district said. “While New Britain has been classified as a red zone by the State of Connecticut, the New Britain Health Department…

Brooklyn public schools will transition to remote learning for at least a week following Thanksgiving break, school officials said Monday. The town of Brooklyn has had 31 new COVID-19 cases over the past 14 days and the school district itself had four new cases in the past week, according to school officials. School officials said that if COVID-19 cases increase…

The coronavirus pandemic has had a devastating impact on Connecticut’s workforce. A record number of people have filed for unemployment this year and hundreds of thousands of residents are currently collecting those benefits.  As a result, the unemployment insurance trust fund has run dry and the state is borrowing hundreds of millions of dollars from the federal government to...

Second District Congressman Joe Courtney announced Sunday that he has tested positive for COVID-19. Courtney said he found out last week that he was exposed to someone who later tested positive for COVID-19. “Upon learning of that initial exposure, I immediately began following the strict isolation guidelines laid out by the CDC and by my doctor while I waited to…

Two Norwalk schools announced Friday that they will transition to full remote learning amid coronavirus concerns, school officials said. Brien McMahon High School and the Center for Global Studies will make the transition starting Monday, Nov. 23. The schools will return to the hybrid learning model starting Monday, Nov. 30. School officials said the decision was made after careful consideration…

Northwest Catholic High School in West Hartford is moving to a full remote learning model for 14 days amid COVID-19 concerns, school officials said Saturday. School officials said that a member of the school community tested positive for COVID-19. As a result, a high number of students have been sent home to quarantine, according to school officials. The school will…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration will look at two key factors as it decides whether or not to approve Pfizers COVID-19 vaccine: how effective it is in preventing the virus and whether it’s safe. “To date, the Pfizer vaccine has been very well tolerated,” said Doctor Onyema Ogbuagu, who runs Pfizer’s COVID vaccine trial at Yale University. The...

The Connecticut Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics said ideally, it would like to see the COVID-19 vaccine available to kids by the next school year, with details about exactly when it will become available and how it will be administered still in the works. “I have a 20-month-old toddler at home and I’m eight months pregnant with...

When the governor’s communications director tested positive for COVID-19 last week, it forced the governor, Connecticut’s two U.S. senators, and senior members of the administration home. “In our office, we have taken all the necessary protocols,” Paul Mounds, Gov. Lamont’s chief of staff, said. “Everyone wears a mask in the office. There’s hand sanitizer everywhere in the office. We...

Several schools and school districts have made the decision to transition to online learning as COVID cases continue to rise in many areas across the state. Simsbury High School will be fully remote on Thursday, Nov. 19 and Friday, Nov. 20 after learning that a student tested positive for COVID-19. School officials said they were advised that there was no…

Several schools and school districts have made the decision to transition to online learning as COVID cases continue to rise in many areas across the state. All Bristol schools will transition to full distance learning starting Nov. 23. The school district transitioned five of their schools to either full or partial remote learning for a set period of time that…

Waterbury public schools are transitioning to full remote learning effective immediately amid a rise in coronavirus transmission in the city, school officials said. “We have done this out of an abundance of caution as we have seen COVID cases rise in the city,” Superintendent Verna Ruffin said. The transition will be effective from Tuesday, Nov. 17 until at least mid-January….

Christopher Martin’s in New Haven is canceling their annual Thanksgiving Day meal amid COVID-19 concerns. The restaurant provides Thanksgiving Day meals to anyone who needs it for free. They have been giving away meals on Thanksgiving for almost 30 years and this is the first year the restaurant has had to cancel, according to the restaurant. Hundreds of people are…

Retailers and restaurants in downtown Hartford are struggling. These businesses depend on foot traffic from professionals who work in offices or attend sporting events and theaters, which are all struggling. “We were really, really doing well, and then as soon as COVID hit, our business totally fell apart,” Jody Morneault said.  Shuttered at the beginning of the pandemic, Morneault’s...

The Hamden Board of Education voted unanimously Saturday night to move to remote learning through January. The Board of Ed. meeting took place over Zoom and all members who participated voted to move to distance learning. The shift to online learning will take place on Nov. 23 and remain in effect through Jan. 19.  The move will allow families to…

Senators Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy are in quarantine after Director of Communications for Governor Ned Lamont, Max Reiss, tested positive for COVID-19 late Friday night. Blumenthal said in a tweet that he was recently tested and is currently in self-isolation. He also said he did not come in close contact with Reiss. Murphy said in a tweet that he…