Coronavirus CT: Rumors Dispelled, Big Help For Businesses

CONNECTICUT — Sadly, we know the numbers all to well. They are 875 cases, 19 deaths, and 113 hospitalizations as a result of the new coronavirus.

The other numbers we're keenly aware of is the skyrocketing number of unemployment claims in the state and the major impact this virus is having on businesses both big and small.

In light of this, Gov. Ned Lamont has issued several updates aimed at assisting small businesses. He also said he wants to dispel false rumors that have been circulating.

Lamont announces launch of the Connecticut Recovery Bridge Loan Program to help small businesses and nonprofits

Lamont today announced that Connecticut small businesses and nonprofits that have been negatively impacted by the global spread of the COVID-19 pandemic can now apply for one-year, no-interest loans of up to $75,000 under the launch of a new program administered by the state’s Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD).

The Connecticut Recovery Bridge Loan Program will make $25 million available to Connecticut businesses and nonprofits that have 100 or fewer employees to assist with cash flow. Loan amounts are up to the lesser of either three months operating expenses and/or $75,000.

“We know that our small businesses and nonprofits have been hit hard by the public safety measures put into place to prevent the spread of this disease,” Governor Lamont said. “Owners are understandably worried about their business, their employees, and their future. This program was designed to provide immediate financial assistance to help these organizations maintain operations and get through this difficult time.”

Provisions and eligibility requirements include:

· Zero percent interest rate;
· 12-month term with 6-month extension per request;
· Personal guaranty and credit score required;
· Approval contingent upon business being profitable prior to March 10, 2020 and no adverse personal credit reports 60 days past due for the last 6 months; and
· Ineligible companies include those involved in real estate, multi-level marketing, adult entertainment, cannabis, and firearms.

All eligibility and application information can be found on the state’s COVID-19 website at ct.gov/coronavirus.

Early results of a business survey being conducted by the nonprofit organization AdvanceCT, in partnership with DECD and the Connecticut Business and Industry Association (CBIA), indicate that companies’ most critical need at this time is assistance with cash flow, with 82 percent of respondents expecting a drop in revenue due to the virus.

“We have been in close communication with our small business and nonprofit communities throughout this crisis and certainly understand their sense of urgency,” DECD Commissioner David Lehman said. “We believe this program provides the quick, short-term financial assistance they need to maintain operations and weather this storm.”

Underwriting support for the program is being provided by Connecticut Innovations.

Lamont dispels rumors regarding state’s response to COVID-19

The Connecticut Joint Information Center, Untied Way 2-1-1 of Connecticut, and state and local police departments continue receiving phone calls and have seen social media posts with false claims about Connecticut’s borders being ordered to shut down, roads being closed, and a curfew being put into place. Lamont said he wants to assure Connecticut residents that these rumors are not true.

The governor also wants to remind residents that there is no need to rush to the grocery store to buy items in bulk. Roads in Connecticut will continue to remain open for these necessary functions, and grocery stores will continue providing services to customers. (To sign up for free, local breaking news alerts from more than 100 Connecticut communities, click here.)

See related: Number Of Deaths, Cases From Coronavirus Surge In Connecticut

Lamont has signed his 14th executive order since the pandemic began a few weeks ago.

• Authorizing state agencies to extend statutory regulatory administrative deadlines by 90 days: The order allows flexibility in meeting statutory deadlines for filings, decisions, and notice in the many permitting and other applications and administrative hearings under the purview of state agencies, and requires agencies to post any changes on their web sites.
• Suspension of mandatory statutory filing requirements for Freedom of Information Act appeals and decisions by the Freedom of Information Commission: As many state offices transition to a telework environment, including the staff at the Freedom of Information Commission, this order suspends the time requirements for filing an appeal with the commission, and the requirement that the commission must hear and decide an appeal within one year after the filing of such appeal.
• Tolling of time periods for Department of Transportation final determinations on permits: As the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) shifts a significant portion of its workforce to a teleworking situation, this order suspends the 90-day requirement for approving encroachment permits required for work in the “right of way” along Connecticut state roads and highways. This will avoid automatic approval of encroachment permits due to delays in receiving mail or responding to requests as staff transitions to a telework environment, and allow them to review all permit requests to ensure the activity will not pose a safety risk to the traveling public.

Mobile field hospital launching at Danbury Hospital, Middlesex Hospital

In coordination with the Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH), the Governor’s Foot and Horse Guard Units today are deploying a mobile field hospital on the grounds of Danbury Hospital that is anticipated to be up and running by Thursday. It is identical to the mobile field hospital that was deployed yesterday on the grounds of Saint Francis Hospital in Hartford. A third mobile field hospital is anticipated to be deployed on the grounds of Middlesex Hospital in Middletown in the coming days.

The Ottilie W. Lundgren Memorial Field Hospital, under the authority of DPH, is a state-of-the-art mobile field hospital designed to support the state’s health care system in response to significant emergencies. It is deployable in several parts as a flexible configuration 25-bed units that operate jointly or independently to provide triage and treatment anywhere in the state in the event of a mass casualty. It can also support an acute care hospital after a catastrophic structural or mechanical failure. The hospital assembles in hours and can be ready to triage and treat hundreds of patients during any public health emergency. It was named in 2006 in honor of a Connecticut woman who died from inhalational anthrax in 2001.

Office of Health Strategy further streamlines approval and licensure process for the state’s hospitals

On the heels of Lamont’s call for hospitals statewide to expand their bed capacity, and in anticipation of an increasing number of COVID-19 patients requiring hospitalization, the Connecticut Office of Healthcare Strategy (OHS) today issued an order further streamlining the approval and licensure process for the state’s hospitals. Effective immediately, hospitals in Connecticut are required to simply complete a notification form, rather than apply for a Certificate of Need waiver.

The intent is to accelerate implementation of emergency planning to address the COVID-19 crisis, provide necessary facilities to meet urgent demand, and still provide OHS a mechanism to track changes. To read the OHS order issued today, click here.

Connecticut Red Cross asks blood donors to make an appointment to give during this critical time

Thousands of Red Cross blood drives around the country have been canceled because of the need to reduce gatherings of large groups of people in order to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. This has resulted in a significantly reduced amount of blood donations than the organization typically receives.

Adjusting to the situation, the Red Cross of Connecticut has set up a process for people to call ahead and make an appointment to donate blood, and proper social distancing can be practiced.

The Connecticut State Police is partnering with the Red Cross of Connecticut and will be holding a blood drive at the Police Academy in Meriden on Thursday, March 26, however it is already fully booked for appointments. A second blood drive at the Police Academy is scheduled for Wednesday, April 1, and there remains several openings for blood donors to sign up. Several other appointment-only blood drives are being organized at locations throughout Connecticut.

Those who would like to give should visit www.redcrossblood.org to make an appointment.