Coronavirus Bethel: Cases, Deaths And How To Get The Vaccine

BETHEL, CT — The state Department of Health is reporting an uptick in coronavirus-associated deaths in town since the start of the new year.

Ten Bethel residents have died from the virus so far in January, bringing the total number of fatalities to 45 since the pandemic began last spring.

Confirmed cases of COVID-19 began to climb sharply in Bethel, as they did throughout the state, in November. Health officials have attributed this in part to an influx of out-of-state visitors and an increase in family gatherings over the end-of-year holidays.

There have been 1,423 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Bethel to date.

At Bethel Health Care Center, there were no new confirmed cases of the coronavirus during the most recent reporting period, Jan. 4-10. Since the start of the pandemic, 16 residents have died at the nursing home from COVID-19 associated ailments, according to data released by the Connecticut Department of Public Health.

On the assisted living facility front, Maplewood at Stony Hill currently has 16 residents who have tested positive for the virus, and The Cascades has six. Since the start of the pandemic, there have been four coronavirus-related deaths among residents at Maplewood, and three at The Cascades.

On Monday, Gov. Ned Lamont warned that a new coronavirus variant, strain B.1.1.7, commonly known as the "UK variant," has been detected in four additional patients in Connecticut who recently tested positive for COVID-19. This brings the total number of confirmed cases of the mutant strain in the state to eight, according to state health officials.

"This new strain, which is considered to be more easily transmitted, is spreading quickly throughout the world, and it's highly likely that these are not the only eight cases in Connecticut," Lamont said.

State health officials are currently in phase 1b of the coronavirus vaccine rollout, inoculating the remnants of the phase 1a group (frontline healthcare workers, medical first responders, residents and staff of long term care facilities) and the new phase 1b cohort, those aged 75 and older.

Nationwide supply-chain problems have put a crimp in the distribution flow of the vaccine to Connecticut municipalities. The scarcity of the medicine led Lamont to amend the rollout early last week to refocus upon the most vulnerable in the population.

Currently, Bethel is accepting preregistration for residents 65 and up via the town website. Residents may click on the red "COVID-19 Vaccination Info" banner at the top of the page to access the registration form.

Residents may also register through the federal Vaccine Administration Management System program which will provide a referral to an authorized clinic somewhere in Connecticut. VAMS is currently accepting people aged 75 and older.

The second way to register is through the Town of Bethel's own clinic, which will begin
operating next week.

First Selectman Matt Knickerbocker is recommending that all residents in the 75-and-over age group register with both Bethel's program and VAMS, and accept the first appointment that is offered.