COVID-19 LATEST: CT hospitalizations drop for first time; Deaths near 1,100

The state saw the number of COVID-19-postive cases in its hospitals decline for the first time since the start of the pandemic, Gov. Ned Lamont announced today.

“This is providing us with some hope, and is a sign that our social distancing measures are having an impact,” the governor said. “But one day of data alone does not mean we are out of the woods and can return to life as normal.

“Many of our hospitals and nursing homes remain under great stress, and our frontline workers continue to battle this virus around the clock,” he continued. “But we have shown that with proper measures in place, we can slow down the spread of the virus.”

Fairfield County logged another 217 positive cases and seven deaths, but also recorded 21 fewer hospitalizations.

County-by-county breakdown:

Stamford still has the most positive cases in the state, with 1,748, followed by Bridgeport (1,199), New Haven (1,001), Norwalk (857), Danbury (841), Waterbury (837), Hartford (591), West Haven (438), Greenwich (372), and Stratford (384).

AROUND THE STATE

Approximately 612 tests were completed during the first day of operations at the rapid COVID-19 testing center that opened yesterday at the site of the former Gateway Community College campus in New Haven. It is estimated that about 750 tests can be performed at the site each day, seven days per week.

In addition, the Department of Economic and Community Development formally announced partnerships with with SoFi, an online personal finance company, and Equifax, a global data, analytics and technology company, to expedite loan processing and payments ”“ and lower costs ”“ under the Connecticut Recovery Bridge Loan Program.

While DECD will make all lending decisions, SoFi will expedite all loan processing and facilitate fulfillment to ensure borrowers receive their financial assistance in a timely fashion. Equifax”™s differentiated data assets will lend further support to the program to improve the process by validating required information of recipients, credit and bank accounts.

The partnerships will help DECD meet its goal of making payments by the end of this month. In addition to being more efficient, the new approach lowers costs by automating the closing process, according to the department.

The governor also has signed Executive Order No. 7BB, which enacts the following provisions:

• Cloth face coverings or higher level of protection required in public wherever close contact is unavoidable: Effective at 8 p.m. tomorrow, any person in a public place who is unable to or does not maintain a safe social distance of approximately six feet from every other person shall cover their mouth and nose with a mask or cloth face-covering.
  In addition, individuals shall use a mask or cloth face covering when using the services of any taxi, car, livery, ride-sharing or similar service or means of mass public transit, or while within any semi-enclosed transit stop or waiting area. The commissioner of the DECD will be required to update the previously issued Safe Workplace rules and Safe Store rules.
  Exceptions will be made for anyone who, by covering their face with a mask or cloth, would be compromising their health or safety because of a medical condition; for anyone under the age of 2 years; or by an older child if the parent, guardian or person responsible for the child is unable to place the mask safely on the child”™s face. If a person declines to wear a mask or face covering because of a medical condition as described, they will not be required to produce medical documentation verifying their stated condition.

• Further postponement of presidential preference primary to Aug. 11: Originally, the primary had been scheduled to be held April 28, and then the governor rescheduled it to June 2 with Executive Order No. 7G.

AdvanceCT launches second business survey
AdvanceCT, the nonprofit organization that works to advance overall economic competitiveness in Connecticut, has launched a second survey for the state”™s businesses with the goal of providing continued feedback to state policymakers regarding how businesses have been impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. Results of the survey will be used to prioritize economic recovery initiatives. The survey is developed in partnership with the DECD and the Connecticut Business and Industry Association.

Businesses interested in participating in this survey can access it here.

COVID-19 stimulus check guidance to CT chartered banks and credit unions
Banking Commissioner Jorge Perez issued guidance to Connecticut state-chartered financial institutions urging them to not use the federal-issued stimulus funds deposited into accounts to offset outstanding debts customers and members may have with their financial institution. The guidance comes in response to Lamont”™s continuing directive to state agencies to identify ways to assist Connecticut residents.

“As stimulus checks begin to reach Connecticut residents, we want to be sure the money is used for its intended purpose,” Perez said. “Many people are now finding it difficult to meet basic needs, like food, medicine and housing. It is in this spirit that we issued our guidance to Connecticut state-chartered banks and credit unions.”

The guidance urges Connecticut state-chartered banks and credit unions to not use a stimulus payment to satisfy an overdraft that existed prior to a stimulus payment being deposited to the account, or to exercise rights of offset against the account with respect to other debts. The guidance covers a period of 30 days from the date the stimulus payment is deposited to the account, and financial institutions are strongly encouraged to document any offset with the express agreement of the customer or member.

If a financial institution”™s systems automatically apply a stimulus payment to an account overdraft, the financial institution is urged to reverse the application of the stimulus payment as promptly as possible.

Consumers are urged to reach out to their financial institutions with questions. They may also request assistance through the Department of Banking”™s website.

Department of Revenue Services launches
program to help taxpayers impacted by COVID-19
The DRS Priority One Taxpayer Assistance Program is available to business and individual taxpayers who may be unable to meet their current collections obligations due to the pandemic. Any taxpayer who is the subject of a payment plan, bank warrant, wage execution or other levy by DRS and needs relief or assistance because of the impact of COVID-19, can contact DRS directly to speak to a tax professional.

D.C. DEVELOPMENTS
Although a lack of broad-based testing and equipment like ventilators has been an ongoing concern for many states, including Connecticut and New York, the U.S. is apparently now “the king of ventilators,” according to President Donald Trump.

He announced yesterday that the U.S. is sending ventilators to Mexico, at the request of that nation”™s president, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.

“I told him that we are going to be helping him out with ventilators, helping Mexico out. We will be helping some other countries too,” Trump said. “We are now the king of ventilators. We have hundreds of thousands under construction. We don’t need them ourselves, the governors are in great shape.”

Trump said 3.7 million COVID-19 tests have been administered in the U.S., and that states will be able to avail themselves of unused testing capabilities.

“There is capacity out there,” Dr. Deborah Birx, the White House coronavirus response coordinator, said. “It is our job working with the states” to make sure all the testing in the U.S. “is brought to bear.”

Further, Trump said that 80 million Americans have now received their coronavirus relief money. The federal government will now turn its attention to supplying the farming industry with $19 billion in aid, he said: $16 billion for direct payments to farmers and $3 billion in purchases of food for distribution.

As for the total of American fatalities from the virus ”“ which the White House once estimated could be as high as 240,000 ”“ “I think, right now, we are heading at probably around 60,000, maybe 65,000,” Trump told reporters at the Friday White House briefing.

As of this writing, the U.S. had more than 726,000 cases and over 38,000 deaths. About 63,600 people have recovered.

Globally, over 2.3 million cases have been reported, along with nearly 159,000 deaths. Over 583,000 have recovered.