CDC Updates COVID-19 Guidance, Changes For Schools + Latest CT Town-By-Town Updates

CONNECTICUT — Reported Covid-19 cases in Connecticut continued to be relatively flat, and hospitalizations moved downward, but reported deaths have ticked up.

The state Department of Public Health reported a 12.07 percent positive test rate over the last seven days, compared with 11.75 percent in the prior seven-day reporting period.

Net COVID-19 hospitalizations decreased by 27 patients between yesterday and the prior Thursday.

Connecticut reported 34 new Covid-19-related deaths in its weekly Thursday update, which was the most since May 19.

Fairfield, New Haven, Litchfield, Middlesex and New London counties were in the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's medium Covid-19 community level Thursday. Hartford, Tolland and Windham counties were in the low level.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its Covid-19 guidelines yesterday. The new guidance doesn’t include social distancing, ends the difference between vaccinated and non-vaccinated quarantine procedures and dissuades asymptomatic testing when there is no known exposure. The CDC also doesn’t recommend contact tracing outside of hospitals, nursing homes and other high-risk congregate settings.

The guidance also includes changes for schools. The new guidance ends cohorting, “test to stay,” and broad asymptomatic testing advisories. Screenings should be considered for high-risk activities if a county enters the CDC’s high Covid-19 community level. Such activities include close-contact sports, music, and certain times of the year, including return from holiday break.

The CDC continues to recommend that students stay home when sick to help prevent the spread of Covid-19 and other illnesses. That differs from state DPH and Department of Education guidelines, which recommends mask use if a student is experiencing minor symptoms, tests negative for Covid-19, and has no known exposure.

Guidance for isolation during an infection remains the same; five days of isolation (wear mask around household members when not isolating), and mask use for the following five days.

Read below for town-by-town case counts, or click this link.