March 8, 2020, was the day everything changed in Connecticut. The state's first confirmed case of COVID-19, a Wilton resident named Chris Tillett, signaled the beginning of a crisis that would soon overwhelm hospitals, shutter businesses and alter daily life in ways few could have imagined.
Dr. Manisha Juthani, now commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Public Health, was among those on the front lines as the virus arrived.
"I was consulting on the infectious disease service in those days before that first case, wondering if any of the patients I had seen might have had COVID," she recalled. "Testing was a challenge at that time. I eventually ended up taking care of the first person in the ICU at Yale New Haven Hospital."
It has now officially been five years since that first Connecticut case. Juthani said she and Connecticut’s public health professionals learned important lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic. “I'm sure we can all reflect back on that and think of a lot of memories,” Juthani said.
Vaccine maker response remains impressive
Historically, it is the consensus of experts that the process of researching and developing a vaccine from scratch has taken 10 to 15 years. In contrast, a public-private partnership between a government initiative called Operation Warp Speed and pharmaceutical companies like Pfizer and BioNTech resulted in vaccine doses being administered to the public after just 11 months of development.
"By the end of 2020 [December], shots were actually being given to people," Juthani noted. "That is really an unbelievable feat of science that we were able to accomplish."
The public cooperated, but will they cooperate next time?
From social distancing and quarantining to masking and vaccinations, public cooperation played a critical role in Connecticut’s response. But public sentiment has turned markedly for a large swath of the population since the pandemic emergency.
Nationally, the COVID-19 pandemic deepened political divides over health measures. A study in "JAMA Health Forum" revealed stark differences between Democrats and Republicans on pandemic views, with major implications for public health. A 2021 poll highlighted this divide: only 27% of Republicans expressed great trust in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, compared to higher levels among other groups.
Despite this division, Juthani thinks Connecticut residents would again rally in a future crisis.
"I am hopeful that people would come together to respond in the way we need to,” Juthani said. “Our vaccination rates in Connecticut give me hope."
Connecticut’s vaccination rate of 95% of residents receiving at least one dose during the pandemic emergency exceeded the national average of 81%.
Marginalized communities hit worst
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Connecticut's marginalized communities faced significant disparities. A study by UConn Health highlighted that Black residents experienced higher rates of disease burden, poverty and limited health care access, increasing their vulnerability to COVID-19. Additionally, the Connecticut Health Foundation reported that people of color were more susceptible to both the health impacts of the virus and the accompanying economic disruptions.
Addressing those gaps became a priority for public health officials during the pandemic, Juthani said.
"We set up mobile vaccine clinics in churches, barber shops, and rural areas," she said. "If another pandemic arises, we will need to mobilize similar efforts, with the necessary resources from federal partners."
PPE shortages should not repeat
One of the early failures of the pandemic was the lack of personal protective equipment (PPE), leaving hospitals and frontline workers scrambling.
"If we had a threat today, we have plenty of PPE to deal with it," Juthani said.
Hospitals and nursing homes have also strengthened their ability to maintain and replenish critical supplies, she said.
Long COVID
While the immediate crisis has passed, long COVID remains a serious concern. Connecticut has built clinics and support systems to help those dealing with lingering effects.
"Our health care institutions have built a framework for providing holistic support," Juthani said. "The best way to prevent long COVID is to prevent getting COVID at all. Vaccination remains our best tool."
How ready is CT for the next pandemic?
Juthani said viruses don’t respect borders, which means no single state can fight a pandemic alone. That’s why, she said, Connecticut has prioritized regional collaboration.
"We meet weekly with health officials across New England, New York, New Jersey and other territories," Juthani said. "This collaboration allows us to share knowledge and respond more effectively."
Connecticut’s public health system is in a much stronger position today, according to Juthani.
"Our ability to be administratively prepared for another threat is much better than where we were," she said.
However, she cautioned that readiness isn’t just about preparation.
"We will be required to depend on our legislators and all the people in the political space to address challenges in real time,” Juthani said.
