Coronavirus CT: Schools Likely To Remain Closed Until Fall

CONNECTICUT — Gov. Ned Lamont said during a radio interview that he expects students won’t go back to physical classrooms until the fall.

“I really think that’s the likelihood,” Lamont said during an interview with WCBS 880. “You just look at Italy and you look at Wuhan province, you see what the life cycle was there and you worry that if people get back too quickly that there’ll be a second iteration of this virus. So April 20 is the minimum, probably the school year.”

Lamont said Monday that schools won’t open until at least April 20. Many school systems are offering distance learning as staff are working remotely and students learn from home.

Lamont said hospitals are working hard to increase capacity, but the state is seeing a doubling of cases every three to four days.

“I can tell you that our hospitals have increased capacity by probably 50 percent over the last week...we are expanding fast, but I don’t know if we’re expanding fast enough for the virus,” he said.

Lamont said he has issued several executive orders to mitigate the spread of coronavirus, including waiving the mandate that schools be in session for at least 180 days.

In Lamont’s order it states that “to account for the potential impact on schools that may be subject to longer-term cancellation of in-school classes and permits schools … to close school on their normally scheduled end-dates, so long as local and regional boards of education provide opportunities for continuity of education to all students to the greatest extent possible consistent with federal and state guidance," the order states, which means schools may not have to remain in session until June 30, 2020 if they are able to offer distance learning programs or other alternatives approved by the state education department. (To stay on top of real-time coronavirus updates in your town and Connecticut sign up for Patch's free newsletter here.)

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Lamont once again urged residents to stay at home and only go out for necessities. People are five times more likely to be infected with coronavirus in Fairfield County than the rest of the state. People in Westport are even more likely than that to be infected, Lamont said.

Connecticut has 415 confirmed cases of coronavirus as of Monday with 54 hospitalizations and 10 deaths. Fairfield County has 270 cases alone.

The Partnership for Connecticut pledged to provide up to 60,000 laptops for high schools in Alliance Districts, which have the highest rates of free/reduced lunches in the state. The partnership is working to provide the laptops as quickly as possible to help students with distance learning.

If there are spare laptops they will be offered to high schools outside of the Alliance Districts. Laptops will be given to students demonstrating the most need. Cable providers have also offered free wifi and hot spots for Connecticut's students.