1st Selectman Jim Marpe says:
Yesterday, Governor Lamont announced that 145 of Connecticut’s 169 municipalities are in the red zone alert level, the highest of the state’s 4 alert levels on the weekly COVID-19 Alert Map. This indicates municipalities with an average daily COVID-19 case rate over the last 2 weeks of more than 15 per 100,000 population.
This week Westport is calculated at 33 cases out of a population of 100,000, compared to 22.4 cases last week.
According to the CDC, more than 1 million COVID-19 cases were reported in the United States over the last 7 days. This is alarming, and demonstrates that we must remain vigilant. We must anticipate that cases will continue to spread as individuals travel, return home from college, gather and shop in the weeks ahead. Wearing masks, social distancing and avoiding gatherings is a must if we are to control this pandemic.
This year, many traditional activities surrounding Thanksgiving and the upcoming holidays have the potential to threaten our health and safety. I urge all residents to refrain from typical large holiday gatherings.
This Stevan Dohanos Saturday Evening Post cover — modeled on a Long Lots Road home — shows a scene that (for many reasons) will not be repeated this year.
As of November 6, the statewide cap on gathering in private residences is 10, down from 25. Please keep your Thanksgiving celebration to no more than 10, and preferably celebrate at home only with the people with whom you live. Gatherings with family and friends who do not live with you can increase the chances of contracting or spreading COVID-19 or the flu.
Avoid crowds on Black Friday, or prepare for strict adherence to the 50% capacity rule at retail stores. Consider Cyber Monday as an alternative. Always maintain a 6-foot distance from others, and wear a face covering.
Review the CDC and state Department of Public Health guidelines for the Thanksgiving holiday, including traveling, gathering, and alternatives to gathering and protocols for college students returning to or visiting Connecticut:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/holidays/thanksgiving.html
https://portal.ct.gov/Coronavirus/Covid-19-Knowledge-Base/Holiday-Guidance
Testing
For information on testing sites, please click here for a list of local test sites, or click here for the state-wide listing.
If you have a pending test due either to symptoms of COVID or exposure to COVID, please refrain from going out into the community until you have received results.
St. Vincent’s Health Center is one of several places offerin COVID-19 tests. (Photo/Adam Stolpen)
Winter Sports
Much of the increase in COVID cases and the resulting school closures are a result of gatherings, parties and sports team activities. Effective Monday (November 23), the governor has ordered all club and team sports, including CIAC sports, to postpone all organized events until January 19.
Schools
Staples High School, and Bedford and Coleytown Middle Schools, are on distanced learning through the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. Westport Public School Superintendent Tom Scarice and I remind everyone that the ability for our schools to remain open for in-person learning depends primarily on the actions of our entire population. We continue to urge all to follow the appropriate protocols so that our community can remain open, but safe.
Mr. Marpe shouldn’t worry about downtown Westport as far as shopping goes. A very well written story appeared in Inklings last month, a ‘younger’ view of what downtown Westport has become, https://www.inklingsnews.com/opinions/2020/10/09/downtown-westport-is-changing-and-not-for-the-better/ but hey, bring on Barnes & Noble. Which is also ironic given the recent comments on this blog from realtor Jason Mudd, ‘…Plenty of shopping’.
I’m so sad that after 9 months of sheltering in place we are at this place of so many new cases and deaths. I have a request. When you walk on a neighborhood street and you pass someone, please pull up a mask or scarf over your mouth and nose. I want to keep taking walks but with the numbers this high I get very uncomfortable passing neighbors who don’t do this simple caring protocol. Once you pass the person, you can remove the covering. It’s just not a big deal but can save a life or two, and/or make others feel safer.
Absolutely! Common courtesy, good manners, and consideration for others!
Is a CDC informative link available regarding the recommended day to test? Meaning: is the day after a Thanksgiving immediate-family dinner too soon to test? Does CoViD19 have an incubation timeline? Is it recommended to self-quarantine until Monday/Tuesday, and then test?
Things can get somewhat confusing.
Everyone enjoy a safe and healthy Thanksgiving!