COVID-19 UPDATE: 26 confirmed cases in CT; all public schools ordered closed; Trump tells nation to ‘relax’

Gov. Ned Lamont said at his daily briefing this afternoon that 26 Connecticut residents have been diagnosed with COVID-19. Information on the number of tests conducted to date was not immediately available, he added.

The Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection”™s Drug Control Division announced earlier in the day that the state will allow pharmacists in Connecticut drug stores to compound hand sanitizers to ease the demand for the product.

The implementation order requires pharmacists “to use a formula from a reputable source that creates a product that is greater than 60% alcohol as recommended by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.”

Lamont”™s Executive Order No. 7C also enacts the following provisions:

1. Provides flexibility for municipal budget deadline and related issues: As many municipalities are nearing the their budget deadlines, the governor”™s order provides extensions and flexibility for the hearings and other associated issues. The governor”™s staff is working with municipalities and the legal community to resolve issues regarding statutory deadlines and notice requirements for land use boards, public attendance and voting at town budget meetings, and alternate methods of submitting public comments.
2. Authorizes DMV commissioner to close branches to the public: The order authorizes the commissioner of Motor Vehicles to close branches to the public, conduct business remotely, and extend deadlines for hearings and related notices. It is expected that DMV will keep four branches partially-open as operations hubs to conduct business. The commissioner will determine when to implement the authority provided in the order.
3. Restricts entrance into psychiatric facilities: Building on the governor”™s previous order restricting visitor access to nursing homes and other similar facilities, this order allows the relevant state agencies to restrict entrance into psychiatric facilities in order to protect vulnerable residents, patients, and staff.

In addition, the governor today submitted a request to the U.S. Small Business Administration, asking the federal agency to issue a declaration that will enable Connecticut”™s small business owners to receive economic injury disaster loans. If approved, the emergency assistance will enable the owners to seek some financial relief as the global pandemic is causing significant distress to many businesses in the state.

Also, the Connecticut Department of Revenue Services (DRS) is granting an automatic extension of Connecticut filing deadlines for certain annual state tax returns as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Effective immediately, the filing deadlines for certain annual tax returns due on or after March 15, and before June 1, are extended by 30 days. In addition, the payments associated with these returns are also extended to the corresponding due date in June.

The impacted returns and the associated filing dates and payment deadlines are set forth below:

• 2019 Form CT-1065/CT-1120 SI Connecticut Pass-Though Entity Tax Return ”“ filing date extended to April 15, 2020; payment deadline extended to June 15, 2020
• 2019 Form CT-990T Connecticut Unrelated Business Income Tax Return ”“ filing date extended to June 15, 2020; payment deadline extended to June 15, 2020
• 2019 Form CT-1120 and CT-1120CU Connecticut Corporation Business Return – filing date extended to June 15, 2020; payment deadline extended to June 15, 2020

Additional updates will be posted to the DRS website.

In addition, Office of Health Strategy Executive Director Vicki Veltri is reminding all Connecticut residents that any worker in the state who receives health insurance through their employer, becomes unemployed, and loses minimum essential coverage or receives COBRA ”“ whether it is due to the COVID-19 outbreak or otherwise ”“ qualifies all year-long for open enrollment through AccessHealthCT, the state”™s health insurance marketplace. Those interested in applying can find more information at learn.accesshealthct.com/special.

“We’re gonna get through this together,” Lamont said, noting that he is coordinating regional efforts with New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy.

As an example, he indicated that the three states could order all restaurants and bars to close. “It doesn’t make any sense for Connecticut to do something and New York not,” he said, noting that patrons could simply travel across state borders to gather at such public establishments.

He encouraged consumers to patronize restaurants through take-out business and buying gift certificates for later use.

In other developments, the Stop & Shop grocery chain is temporarily suspending its online pickup service until further notice.

“Our store associates will instead focus on stocking product and other key priorities that will better meet the needs of all customers at this time,” company officials said in a statement. “The service will be made available again once product availability increases.”

The chain further noted that customers may experience delays on its website as well as with its Peapod home delivery schedules.

“This is again due to extremely high demand, and our teams are working incredibly hard to ensure the site is running smoothly so that you can continue to receive orders when you need them,” the statement said.

NATIONAL DEVELOPMENTS

The governor’s remarks on restaurants and bars followed those of Vice President Mike Pence at a national press briefing. Pence said the administration will have “updated federal guidelines” on Monday regarding whether restaurants, bars and businesses should stay open.

At that same briefing, President Donald Trump said the Federal Reserve”™s decision to slash interest rates to near zero “makes me very happy.”

The Fed announced today that it would hold rates steady near zero until it is confident that the U.S. economy can recover from the economic slump caused by COVID-19.

“That”™s really great for our country,” Trump said. “It”™s something that we”™re very happy, I have to say this, I”™m very happy. And they did it in one step, they didn”™t do it in four steps over a long period of time. They did it in one step and I think that people in the market should be very thrilled.”

The Fed also said it would purchase another $700 billion worth of Treasury bonds and mortgage-backed securities, and that it has finalized a deal with the Bank of Canada, the Bank of England, the Bank of Japan, the European Central Bank and the Swiss National Bank to lower their rates on currency swaps to keep the financial markets functioning normally.

“We”™re the strongest country in the world by far, financially and every other way,” Trump said. “And that brings us in line with what other countries are.”

Trump also advised the nation to only buy the groceries they need for the week ahead.

“You don”™t have to buy so much,” Trump remarked. “Take it easy. Just relax.”

U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin announced he will ask Congress to reinstate powers that were granted during the 2008 financial crisis to further support the economy. He told ABC this morning that he expects a “slowdown” but, when asked if the country is already in recession, responded, “I don”™t think so.”

Also on Sunday morning, Director of Trade and Manufacturing Policy Peter Navarro told the Fox Business network that “I think the decisions we make over the next week or two will determine whether we have a significant downturn or not.”