Submitted by Norm Needleman, State Senator.
COVID-19 Update
All Connecticut Adults will become Eligible for COVID-19 Vaccine on April 1
All Connecticut residents age 16 and older will become eligible for vaccination appointments on April 1. The new timeline will allow Connecticut adults to begin making vaccination appointments four days earlier than expected. So far, Connecticut residents age 45 and older, healthcare personnel, first responders, those living or working in long-term care facilities, residents and staff of congregate living settings, educators, and childcare providers are eligible to sign up for the vaccine. Statewide, well over 1 million residents have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, including nearly 600,000 residents who were fully vaccinated as of Monday.
Guide For Those Scheduling COVID-19 Vaccinations For Others
The Department of Public Health has developed a guide to the vaccination appointment access process for those navigating the system for their loved ones or those who wish to assist others with making appointments. Many individuals who lack up-to-date technology skills or who lack resources to make online appointments likely are relying on loved ones or online assistance to make those appointments and receive their vaccine doses. This guide will walk those willing to help others access the vaccine. It is available here and includes a full walkthrough of current practices.
FEMA to Reimburse COVID-19 Victim Funerals
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will be reimbursing families for COVID-19 related funeral expenses. FEMA will cover 100% reimbursement for funeral expenses up to a maximum financial amount of $9,000 per funeral and $35,000 per applicant. Starting in April, FEMA will begin accepting applications directly from impacted individuals.
There will be a dedicated toll-free phone number that can be used to apply for assistance. Once an applicant has applied and is provided an application number, they must provide supporting documentation and upload it to their disasterassistance.gov account. Documents should include an official death certificate, funeral expenses, and proof of funds received from other sources. To see if you are eligible for financial assistance and to learn more information, you can click here.
Regional Water Safety Incident Alert
Recently, reports by the Connecticut Water Company detected chemicals including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS, in samples of wellwater in the Killingworth area. While this discovery does not indicate larger regional pollution, local health officials are studying to determine whether this incident has any ties to the larger community, including monitoring and testing to ensure students at Haddam-Killingworth Intermediate/Middle School and Killingworth Elementary School are not at risk of interacting with the chemicals.
