Updates On COVID-19 Red Zones, Vaccination Rates In Connecticut

CONNECTICUT — The number of Connecticut towns in the COVID-19 red zone has dropped eight from last week, to 83, in the most recent data released from the state Department of Public Health.

The color codes correspond to guidance from the health department. Populations in the red zone have reported 15 or more cases per 100,000 people over a two-week average.

Those communities in the orange zone, which have 10-14 cases per 100,000 people over a two-week average, are Avon, Bethlehem, Bloomfield, Branford, Bridgeport, Brookfield, Burlington, Colchester, Danbury, Durham, East Haddam, East Lyme, East Windsor, Easton, Ellington, Fairfield, Farmington, Greenwich, Groton, Hamden, Killingly, Killingworth, Lebanon, New Milford, Newington, North Canaan, Old Saybrook, Pomfret, Portland, Salem, Shelton, Sherman, Simsbury, Somers, South Windsor, Southbury, Stamford, Stonington, Suffield, Tolland, Washington, West , artford, Wethersfield, Willington, Wilton, Windsor Locks and Woodstock.

One zone down in the yellow zone are Bethany, Bethel, Canton, Clinton, Coventry, Darien, Essex, Guilford, Haddam, Madison, Mansfield, New Canaan, Redding, Ridgefield, Thompson, Westbrook, Westport, Winchester and Woodbury. These municipalities have reported five to nine cases per 100,000 people over a two-week average.

In the gray zone with fewer than five cases per 100,000 people over two weeks are Andover, Barkhamsted, Bridgewater, Canaan, Chester, Colebrook, Cornwall, Deep River, Eastford, Goshen, Granby, Hampton, Hartland, Kent, Middlefield, Morris, Norfolk, Roxbury, Scotland and Weston.

All other towns and cities are in the state's red zone.

See related: Coronavirus Death Toll Rises, But CDC Forecast Is Optimistic

As of Thursday, Connecticut residents who have received at least one vaccine dose by age group include more than 95 percent of those over the age of 65, 89 percent of those between 55-64, 80 percent of those between 45-54, 79 percent of those between 35-44, 71 percent of those between 25-34, 67 percent of those between 18-24, 76 percent of those between 16-17, and 66 percent of those between 12-15.

The rate of vaccinations of the youngest, eligible age tier, residents 12-15, is slowing, upless less than 2 percent from last week. Vaccinations for the next youngest, and school age tier, 16-24, have also slowed to less than three-quarters of a percent. Other age tiers continue to edge up around a point or less a week.

Vaccination rates vary widely across the state, with the western portion of Connecticut being much more thoroughly inoculated than the eastern population. Canaan leads all Connecticut towns with 98.86 percent of its population fully vaccinated as of Thursday.