Coronavirus Hamden: More Serious Actions Needed, Mayor Leng Says

HAMDEN, CT — Following conference calls with U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro and local health and regional leaders, Hamden Mayor Curt Balzano Leng said that more serious actions are required to help prevent the spread of the new coronavirus.

Leng said it has “become abundantly clear that we need to take further actions to protect our residents and our State from the severe health risk associated with the Coronavirus.” He also said that Hamden will be taking “additional action steps to reduce public contact both individually, working with our Health Department, and working with other local leaders, and with the State of Connecticut.”

Leng is also recommending that residents “shelter in place” to decrease the number of people who become critically ill and who may need life support.

Read Leng’s full message, posted on Facebook, to the Hamden community below:

Good afternoon. This is Mayor Curt Leng. My primary responsibility to our residents is to preserve your health and safety.

After participating in State-wide emergency management conference calls, speaking with Congresswoman Delauro yesterday, with Public Safety leaders, and today with local leaders from throughout our region, it has become abundantly clear that we need to take further actions to protect our residents and our State from the severe health risk associated with the Coronavirus.

On this call just this morning, Rosa asked her medical expert his thoughts following a question about shutting down all but essential services now, and why we’re waiting.

He stated that all actions that expand social distancing and limit gatherings are helpful, but then specifically said, “essentially shelters in place is extremely helpful,” and that it will decrease the number of people who will become critically ill, it will reduce the number of people who will need life support. All efforts to increase social distancing, to decrease interaction among people will help to reduce exposure and slow the spread.

This recommendation is the clearest statement from a local expert yet on what we need to do. I felt the most important thing I could do first is to share this information with you for the health and safety of you and your family and then second take additional actions as a Town.

Hamden will be taking additional action steps to reduce public contact both individually, working with our Health Department, and working with other local leaders, and with the State of Connecticut.

Let me give an analogy... We practice fire drills to protect us when there is a fire. We have a fire. Our actions now can stop the fire from growing far larger and I know our community members need us to take actions and ask you to take personal actions, that together can save many lives; We have an opportunity to accomplish this together if we all take this seriously and all do our part.

Thank you for listening, please do everything you can to avoid interaction with people to every extent possible, stay home and when you need to go out, please be safe and smart, and think of your family and other people’s families, because when you do you could be saving a life.

May God bless you and your family, I will be in contact to update you on additional actions that are being taken.

For more information, please visit http://hamden.com/ and the center for Disease Control https://www.cdc.gov/.

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