New Canaan COVID Update: New Cases, Testing, Vaccine, and MORE

This evening, Tuesday, January 5th First Selectman Kevin Moynihan with a coronavirus update provided a COVID community update reporting that since last Tuesday’s outcall we have had 45 new positive test results reported for New Canaan residents across all age demographics.

According to Moynihan, there have been only a handful of seniors included in this past week's positive case list. Sadly, he reports that we have had our first death of a New Canaan resident with COVID-19 since last August with the passing last week of a 79-year-old resident living at home. "We send our condolences and prayers to the family," Moynihan says.

Moynihan says that the majority of cases continue to be college-age young adults (18-25 age range) and middle-age parents who have been infected primarily from small gatherings of family and friends over the holidays. 

According to Moynihan, there have been only a handful of seniors included in this past week's positive case list. Sadly, he report that we have had our first death of a New Canaan resident with COVID-19 since last August with the passing last week of a 79-year-old resident living at home.  We send our condolences and prayers to the family.

Please read the complete update below including information on Testing and Vaccination.

TESTING

Our community testing at Lapham Center continued last week, and with all results back from Monday through Wednesday testing there were 6 positives out of 151 tested for a positivity rate of 3.97%.  These test results are included in the above-reported numbers.  Our local testing data continues to trend well below the fluctuating state of CT positivity rate that varies between 5 and 7% on a 7-day rolling average basis.  

Due to the upcoming return to in-person learning for NC Public Schools, there will be no public testing beyond Wednesday (January 6) this week, as we will be dedicating the Thursday through Saturday test days to NCPS students to support the Superintendent's re-open plan.  

We will continue our community testing in collaboration with Waveny LifeCare Network at Lapham Center next week Monday through Wednesday (January 11 - January 13), 7:00 am to 10:00 am.  The link for the upcoming Monday through Wednesday test dates is contained in the email version of this outcall or you can find it in the red COVID-19 alert box on the town website at www.newcanaan.info. (The SignUpGenius link for testing this upcoming Monday through Wednesday is: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/COIVDtestingJan11-13).  Please note that we cannot accommodate walk-ins at the test site.  

For the Waveny testing at Lapham Center you must sign up each person in the household under their own name and date of birth.  Please be sure to include complete insurance information in the text box in the SignUpGenius registration.  Results will be provided within 72 hours by email with a message notifying you the results are ready in your portal so please provide your cell phone number as your contact number. 

Please note every individual being tested must have their own unique email in order to receive the results via email through the patient portal with the lab.  Parents may have to create free email accounts (such as Gmail) for minor children in order to receive the results. The same email address cannot be used for multiple family members or the lab portal will have an error with the results.

VACCINE

In regards to the vaccination schedule,  the State is currently in Phase 1a and shortly we will begin Phase 1b with vaccination of First Responders that do not respond to medical calls.  First Responders that respond to medical calls, such as our New Canaan EMS, are currently being vaccinated or are scheduled to be vaccinated. The vaccination of our other First Responders will begin in the upcoming weeks in New Canaan.  Decisions on who is vaccinated after First Responders are still being made at the Governor’s office and we will update the community as more information becomes available. The Governor has made no decision on vaccination of seniors who do not reside in congregate living facilities and where they will fall in the vaccination timeline so we ask for your patience as these decisions are being made in Hartford.

We also remind residents again that if you travel to any of the states or countries on the CT Travel Advisory list (except for less than 24 hours), you must quarantine for 10 days upon your return home or fulfill the testing requirements outlined in Executive Order 9S and also complete the travel form found on the state’s coronavirus website (https://portal.ct.gov/Coronavirus/travel).

Finally, we urge you to please do your part in controlling the spread of the virus by wearing a mask anywhere where you cannot maintain 6 feet social distance, wash hands frequently and avoid any large gatherings where you will be exposed to non-family members.

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Submitted by New Canaan, CT

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