State Urges Public To Work Together To Slow Transmission Of Virus

Editor’s Note: After this story was published Thursday evening, schools in Ansonia, Derby, Seymour and Shelton announced closings.

Ansonia schools are closed Friday, March 13.

Derby schools are closed until March 30.

Seymour schools are closed from Monday, March 16 until March 30.

Shelton schools are closed until further notice.

The original story follows:

As the ​“red dots” on the COVID-19 coronavirus map continued to multiply, Valley government began closing public spaces Thursday in an effort to slow down the infection rate.

News From Lamont Press Conference

“We just had another update at our emergency operations center. Yet again we can look at the map, we can can see red dots growing as the COVID-19 virus continues to expand around the country and in our region,” Gov. Ned Lamont said at a press conference Thursday.

As of 3 p.m., four people had tested positive for COVID-19 in Fairfield County, and one in Litchfield County. A state lab confirmed a sixth positive test for a person who was tested in Connecticut but lives in New York.

The state has tested 95 people — 89 COVID-19 tests came back negative.

An elementary school student in Stratford tested positive. The child is at home recovering, according to information given at a press conference streamed online by The Connecticut Post.

COVID-19 will continue to spread throughout the state, Dr. Matthew Cartter, the state’s epidemiologist, said.

He estimated 10 to 20 percent of Connecticut will catch COVID-19 in the next one or two months. Cartter again urged people to be cautious and to follow the various advisories put out from the CDC to your local city hall.

The mitigation measures are designed to slow COVID-19 transmissions down so the healthcare sector is not overwhelmed. The virus is dangerous to the elderly and people with existing medical conditions. The canceling of large events and public meetings is designed to protect the most vulnerable. He stressed that people who feel ill should stay home and consult a doctor.

“This is only going to work if all of us, together, do what needs to be done to slow the transmission of the virus,” Cartter said.

Audio highlights from Thursday’s press conference is embedded below. The article continues after the media player.

Schools have been closing throughout Fairfield County as COVID-19 makes its way from the New Rochelle/Westchester County, N.Y. area and into Connecticut.

Lamont said Thursday the state would waive the 180 days of school requirement for districts closed because of the virus.

The wording from a press release posted online after the press conference was worded as follows:

As many school districts have made the decision to close schools due to the COVID-19 outbreak, Governor Lamont is ordering the state law requiring schools to be in session for at least 180 days to be modified. The governor’s emergency order will require that schools be in session for 180 days or by June 30, 2020 at the latest. This means that if a school has not been in session for a total of 180 days by June 30, the school district has the authority to make that date the last day of the school year.

The move was part of an executive order. Click here to read more.

Lamont’s order also prohibits gatherings in the state with more than 250 people.

What’s Happening In The Valley

Thursday saw a flurry of closing announcements from local governments in the lower Naugatuck Valley.

In Ansonia, the school district announced late Thursday that schools would be closed Friday (March 13).

Earlier in the day, Mayor David Cassetti announced the cancelation of ​“all non-essential events and meetings.”

Those cancelations included a flag-raising ceremony scheduled for Saturday to mark St. Patrick’s Day.

A public hearing on a zone text amendment (click here for info on that) that had been scheduled for Monday (March 16) was also postponed.

The Ansonia Nature Center, Ansonia Library, and the Ansonia Senior Center are all closed to the public until further notice.

If you’re not signed up for Code Red in Ansonia, click here to do so.

Please monitor the Ansonia website and Facebook page.

“This is not a time for panic, but a time to be smart about your health, and to practice common sense. My administration will continue to keep the public informed,” Cassetti said in a prepared statement.

DERBY UPDATE: Derby schools announced at 7:39 p.m. Thursday schools are closed until March 30.

The following message was distributed from Superintendent Conway:

Good evening Derby Family,

After participating on a call with our State Epidemiologist to Dr. Cartter our State Epidemiologist, as a precautionary measure to reduce further spreading of COVID-19 Derby Public Schools will be closed beginning tomorrow (Friday, March 13) for two weeks with plans to return Monday March 30, 2020. 

Please look tomorrow for more information regarding your child’s Everyday Learning Plans and our plan to distribute lunches to all families beginning Monday through the closure. 

I am sorry for any inconvenience this may cause you and your family. Thanks, and have a great evening!

In Derby, Mayor Rich Dziekan announced the cancellation of public meetings and the closing of Derby City Hall to the general public.

Employees will be working inside. They will be available by phone and email.

The Veterans Community Center, the Derby Senior Center and the Derby Public Library will be closed Friday until further notice, Dziekan said.

Also from the Derby announcement:

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

In Seymour, the Office of First Selectman Kurt Miller announced Wednesday the steps the town was taking to slow down COVID-19.

Those actions included:

• All non-essential public board, committee and commission meetings are canceled

• All non-essential programming is canceled from the close of business Friday, March 13

• The Community Center and Public Library are closed to the public at the close of business Friday, March 13

• Municipal staff will report as normal but the town recommended residents utilize online resources wherever possible

• These restrictions will remain in place until further notice

Click here for the full notice.

Seymour Public Schools public schools announced late Thursday that schools are closed from Monday, March 16 until March 30.

Shelton Public Schools announced late Thursday that schools are closed until further notice.

Click this link to read about what’s happening in Shelton.