Community Update
You may have heard that today, the Town of Bethel has been identified as an orange community based on the number of cases. Given the trends over the last several weeks, we anticipated that this would occur given the recent rise in cases. Being in this classification means that Bethel’s rate of infection has risen above 10 new cases per day per 100,000 population.
This is obviously a troubling trend. Through contact tracing we know the main sources of these increases in infection transmissions:
• Gatherings where people have become less diligent about distancing and mask-wearing.
• Sporting events
• Within families
If the rate of infections continues to rise, the result may be that some restrictions that had recently been relaxed will need to be put back in place.
You can help our town avoid this by following these guidelines:
• Limit social gatherings, practice distancing and always wear a mask when around other people, even if they are members of your family if they have been places where they could have been exposed. We continue to see new cases emerge where people have grown comfortable around close friends and family members and may have “let their guard down.” This virus does not care how much we trust our closest friends and family. If one person gets it, they will transmit it quickly to the rest of the group..
• If you begin to feel sick, STAY HOME, ISOLATE YOURSELF FROM YOUR FAMILY AND CALL YOUR DOCTOR. We are seeing a significant increase in transmission rates within families, often when one family member thinks they are initially just coming down with a common cold. Please treat any illness seriously and keep your family members safe.
Let’s work together to keep our community safe.
B