Connecticut must brace for a major increase in COVID-19 cases this fall and winter, with schools likely to close again after a couple of months of in-person attendance, according to a senior adviser to Gov. Ned Lamont.
Scott Gottlieb, the former Food and Drug Administration commissioner, made the remarks during Lamont”™s daily press briefing on Thursday.
The increase in COVID-19 infections in many states, combined with an expected rise in coronavirus cases in conjunction with the flu season, will inevitably affect the Nutmeg State, Gottlieb said. “It”™s important to get students back” to school for at least two or three months, he said, “always with an eye on safety.”
Both he and Lamont acknowledged that some teachers and parents have expressed fears about returning to the classroom. The governor said that 15-20% of parents have said they may not want their children to go back to school, at least at first. That would actually work in schools”™ favor, he said, as those students”™ absence would increase social distancing.
As for teachers, “I”™ve got your back,” Lamont declared. “If any state can open safely, it”™s Connecticut.”
The state continues to have one of the lowest infection rates in the country ”“ roughly 0.9%. According to the latest figures from the Department of Health, Connecticut has conducted 613,569 tests resulting in 47,750 positive cases. Hospitalizations currently stand at 66, while fatalities total 4,389.
Fairfield County now has 16,385 confirmed and 642 probable cases, with 1,083 confirmed and 308 deaths. Bridgeport leads the county with 3,618 confirmed cases, followed by Stamford (3,300), Norwalk (2,051), Danbury (1,873) and Stratford (839).
Lamont noted that the age group showing the highest rate of infection over the past several days is in the 20-29 range ”“ an indication, he said, of that cohort”™s being “a little more casual when it comes to wearing a mask” and taking other precautions.
While the governor remained fairly upbeat, Gottlieb took a dimmer view of what the future holds. “The reality is we”™re going to have six more months of COVID,” he said. “It”™s going to be touch-and-go through the end of the year.”
He predicted that the virus could infect up to 60-70% of the population “very soon,” but expressed optimism that a vaccine will be found and begin to be distributed in early 2021.
