Reporting on the State of Connecticut’s Summary of COVID-19 cases, deaths, and tests.
A complete listing of all COVID-19 cases and analyses by age, hospitalizations, deaths, towns and county is reported by the Connecticut State Department of Health. This information can be found by following the link below:
https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/Coronavirus/CTDPHCOVID19summary922020.pdf
LOCAL RESULTS
Total Reported
To Date Change from Probable
Yesterday Cases
Westport Residents COVID-19 Positive Reported to the State 339 +0 14
Weston Residents COVID-19 Positive Reported to the State 86 +0 3
Town specific COVID-19 Tests, Cases, and Deaths can be found at the following link:
https://data.ct.gov/Health-and-Human-Services/COVID-19-Tests-Cases-and-Deaths-By-Town-/28fr-iqnx
Face Coverings – Latest Information
Masks are required to be worn whenever in public and likely to be less than 6 feet from anybody else and by everybody in school, most all the time. Connecticut’s Department of Public Health has clarified the types of face coverings that are recommended for students at this time. Release on August 31st, the recommendations highlighted that the most important features of any face covering to be used during the school day should be that it completely covers the nose and mouth of the wearer and that it is comfortable enough to wear for long periods of time during the school day.
| Mask Types
|
Advantages | Disadvantages | Recommendations |
| N95 Respirators | Excellent filtration of droplets and most aerosols-sized particles | Difficult to wear for extended periods, need specific fit-testing and medical clearance, supply chain issues, cannot be easily cleaned | × Not recommended for school use (except for nurses and aerosol-generating procedures) |
| KN95 Face Masks | Very good capture of respiratory droplets, widely available for ordering | Wide variation in sizing and quality control, tend to run large and may not fit children well, may be difficult to wear for long periods, cannot be easily cleaned | √ Recommended for use in schools for older children |
| Surgical/Procedure Style | Good to very good capture of respiratory droplets, widely available for ordering, relatively lightweight | May not hold up to repeated use, cannot be easily cleaned, may have some quality control issues | √ Recommended for use in schools, especially as a stockpile for schools to hand out when students do not have a facemask |
| Cloth Masks | Good to very good capture of respiratory droplets, widely available for purchase, can be constructed and personalized at home, fabric very breathable, can be easily cleaned | Generally require multiple layers of fabric, ear loops may irritate after extended use, may need to try multiple styles to find appropriate fit, fit may change with laundering | √ Recommended for use in schools for all ages |
| Neck Gaiters | Very breathable and lightweight, some moisture-wicking, very personalizable, widely available, many sizes and styles, eliminates ear loop irritation, stays on neck when not in use | May or may not provide adequate droplet control depending on fit and material used, may need to be layered to provide adequate source control | ? May be adequate if layered (folded over nose and mouth multiple times) and sized appropriately so that fabric is not stretched excessively, better for smaller children where the stretching of fabric may be more protective |
| Bandanas | Widely available, inexpensive, allows mask to be tied instead of using ear loops, lightweight and breathable | May or may not provide adequate droplet control depending on the weight of material used, may need to be layered to provide adequate source control | ? May be adequate if layered and positioned tightly at the chin, material should be washed & dried to tighten the fabric weave |
| Exhalation Valve Masks | Can be found in many style of masks, may add some comfort, allows relief of air pressure upon exhalation | May allow some droplets to escape through the mask, may not close tightly when breathing in, cannot be easily cleaned | × Unknown whether or not exhalation valves in masks increase the risk of spread of COVID-19, better than no mask at all but masks with valves currently not recommended for school settings |