Unemployment Stimulus Funds Go Out This Week, As Discussions About Reopening Connecticut Begin

Connecticut Public Radio | By Tucker Ives

Published April 28, 2020 at 11:45 AM EDT

Hartford city hall lion statue — A statue by Hartford's city hall dons a mask, part of an initiative by the city's public works department to raise awareness of the state's mandate to wear masks in public spaces.

We’re learning more about how restrictions in Connecticut may slowly be lifted in the coming weeks and months. It’s far from a return to the old normal, but it is a preview of what the new normal may look like.

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As the economy slowly gets restarted, social distancing protocols will likely remain in place, so don’t plan on ditching your mask anytime soon.

Also, if you’re in Fairfield County, look out for the Blue Angels and Thunderbirds doing a flyover today. The flight path goes over Stamford around 12:30 p.m.

Here’s the latest on the coronavirus in Connecticut...

By The Numbers

All numbers are as of April 27 at 8 p.m.

2,012 COVID-19-associated deaths
25,997 confirmed cases
- Fairfield County: 10,763
- New Haven County: 6,993
- Hartford County: 5,157
- Litchfield County: 892
- Middlesex County: 609
- New London County: 516
- Tolland County: 419
- Windham County: 164
- Pending address validation: 484
More than 90,746 people tested

The Latest

Gov. Ned Lamont expects to make some "very preliminary" decisions about reopening parts of Connecticut's economy in the next 10 to 14 days. Hospitalizations have slowly been declining, and Lamont expects to have a better understanding of the pandemic at that time. He said the restrictions would first be eased on small businesses where employees can maintain social distancing. But he warned that even if businesses start to open up, social distancing requirements will likely remain in place.
The state Department of Labor is now processing the $600 unemployment payments for those who have been out of work during the pandemic. According to the Lamont administration, the department had to make some computer fixes to distribute the funds. This applies retroactively to March 26 and people will receive payments from previous weeks in a lump sum by the end of this week. Commissioner Kurt Westby says 340,000 of the 402,000 claims filed since March 13 have now been processed.
The monthly number of calls to the Connecticut Poison Control Center have doubled from March 2019 to March 2020. This predates President Donald Trump’s comments about ingesting or injecting disinfectants to combat the coronavirus. Dr. Suzanne Doyon said there were more calls about children ingesting hand sanitizer. More from Connecticut Public Radio’s Nicole Leonard:

Since the pandemic began, Doyon said other calls have involved people using bleach to disinfect grocery produce that they will then eat; residents mixing bleach with other household cleansers like ammonia, which creates a dangerous noxious vapor; and people ingesting large amounts of dietary supplements that lead to toxicity.

Again, people should never ingest bleach or other disinfectant products.

Other Reads On The Coronavirus

‘It Was Just Too Much’: How Remote Learning Is Breaking Parents - Elizabeth A. Harris for The New York Times
'A Ticking Time Bomb': Advocates Warn COVID-19 Is Spreading Rapidly Behind Bars - Jimmy Jenkins and Matt Katz for NPR
Here's What Disinfectants and UV Light Really Do to Your Body - Michele Cohen Marill for Wired

Old Favorites, New Tiny Desk

NPR’s traditional Tiny Desk Concert series is suspended because it’s not even remotely conducive to social distancing. But artists are recording their own Tiny Desk Concerts from home. The latest one is from Tiny Desk veterans Rodrigo y Gabriela. They perform from their home in Mexico.

Make sure you watch -- don’t just listen to -- this performance.