Derby Mayor Rich Dziekan.
There are currently four confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the State of Connecticut.
The third patient has no known direct exposure to the virus and public health officials believe that it is spreading through community contact.
Although the virus is compared to the common flu, there are a number of differences that make it worth exercising caution in our approach to the health of our community. We are in constant contact with State and regional public health professionals and are working diligently to keep public facilities sanitized.
Accordingly, the City of Derby is taking action to limit the exposure of our residents to the virus by reducing unnecessary contact through the following actions:
- The Board of Aldermen/Alderwomen meeting scheduled for March 12th @ 7:00 p.m. is officially canceled.
- All non-essential programming is canceled from the close of business Thursday, March 12, 2020.
- Derby City Hall will be closed to the general public at the close of business at 6:00 pm on Thursday March 12, 2020. Any essential or emergency official government business may be made by contacting the appropriate department head via telephone or email.
- The Veterans Community Center, the Derby Senior Center and the Derby Public Library will be closed to the public at the close of business Thursday, March 12, 2020.
Municipal staff will report for duty as normal but we recommend residents utilize online resources wherever possible.
These restrictions will remain in place until further notice.
Additionally, we would like to echo public health organizations in recommending the following:
- Wash your hands frequently for a minimum of 20 seconds with soap
- Stay home if you don’t feel well
- Avoid large public gatherings and unnecessary travel
- Reduce contact with others to the extent possible, including handshakes
- Clean and disinfect your home and objects that are frequently touched including doorknobs, cell phones and light switches
We would like to direct our residents to the following resources to familiarize themselves with the facts about the virus and precautions that should be taken:
Naugatuck Valley Health District – http://www.nvhd.org/coronaviruses/COVID-19/
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/summary.html
Dial 2 – 1‑1 or text CTCOVID to 898211 with questions or concerns
We are acting out of an abundance of caution and have no reason to believe that there is currently any immediate cause for concern in Derby.
It is important that we do everything in our power to keep it that way and stay ahead of the curve. We encourage our residents to approach this virus with caution and to follow the steps recommended by public health officials to reduce unnecessary contact and slow the spread.
I understand many residents may disagree with this decision but we ask for patience and understanding as we work through this together. We will continue to update you in the coming days as more information becomes available.
If you have any concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact my office at 203.736.1450 Extension 221 or www.derbyct.gov.
