
AP POOL PHOTO
Gov. Ned Lamont has his temperature checked during a press event Dec. 18 at a long-term care facility in West Hartford where the COVID-19 vaccine was administered to staff and residents.
Another staff member from Bradley School has tested positive for COVID-19, according to information sent Monday from Derby Public Schools.
A student at Derby Middle School has also tested positive. The student was last in the school Dec. 15. UPDATE: On Tuesday night, the district also said that a Derby High School student tested positive as well.
Ten Bradley School staff members have tested positive in the last few weeks.
Derby schools are on remote learning through Dec. 23. After that the district’s winter break starts.
The district had in-person classes for most of last week, making it the only local district not to switch fully to remote learning. Seymour, Ansonia and Shelton went remote weeks ago.
As of Tuesday, Dec. 22, 16 staffers districtwide in Derby have COVID-19, along with three (now four) students, according to the district’s live COVID-19 dashboard.
The Valley COVID-19 Situation
According to a report issued Monday from the Naugatuck Valley Health District, there were 131 new COVID-19 cases reported locally to the health district between Dec. 16 and Dec. 21.
The health district’s jurisdiction includes Ansonia, Beacon Falls, Derby, Naugatuck, and Shelton.
Ansonia and Beacon Falls picked up a dozen new cases. Six new cases were reported in Derby. Fifty-three new positive tests were reported in Naugatuck, 17 in Seymour, and 31 in Shelton.
The City of Ansonia announced officials from Derby and Griffin Hospital will be conducting a COVID-19 discussion online at 5 p.m. Dec. 29. The Zoom info on that meeting has not been released as of Dec. 22 but is expected shortly.
First responders in the Valley started receiving COVID-19 vaccinations at Griffin Hospital Tuesday morning (Dec. 22), according to a Facebook post from Derby Storm Ambulance and Rescue.
The Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce held an in-depth COVID-19 discussion last week featuring Dr. Frederick Browne of Griffin Hospital, Jessica Kristy of the health district, and David Morgan of TEAM Inc.
The video is embedded below (the article continues after the video):
On Monday, Kristy clarified a statement she had made Friday about health districts receiving and preparing for Moderna vaccine shipments this week.
“NVHD is not one of the health departments/districts that will be receiving (the) Moderna vaccine this week, although we anticipate we will be starting soon,” she said via email. “This is very exciting and a large undertaking. I hope to make a more formal announcement about NVHD joining Griffin Hospital as the Valley’s primary COVID-19 vaccine providers.”
Finally, Bishop Wicke Health and Rehabilitation Center in Shelton sent a press release Monday saying staff and residents there are scheduled to start receiving COVID-19 vaccines next week.
COVID-19 has been brutal on long-term care facilities across the U.S. The vast majority of COVID-19 associated deaths locally have happened in long-term care facilities, where people are the most vulnerable to the novel coronavirus.
“Those living in skilled nursing homes and short-term rehabilitation centers have been most impacted by this global pandemic. Our residents and patients have been able to thrive and have as “normal” a life as possible this year due to the outstanding staff who love them like family. We look forward to the day, hopefully soon that families and friends can come in and visit and hug their loved ones,” Debra Samorajczyk, the facility’s administrator, said in a prepared statement.
The Dec. 21 COVID-19 update from the health district is embedded below.