By Norm Needleman, State Senator.
COVID-19 Vaccine Update
The Majority of Connecticut Adults Have Received At Least One COVID-19 Dose
As of April 12, 2021 52% of Connecticut residents have received at least their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, with 2,414,373 total doses administered statewide. That includes 977,061 individuals who have received both shots and are considered fully vaccinated and an additional 1,533,933 people who have received their first dose. Those categories include 96,621 people who have received the Johnson and Johnson vaccine, which only requires one dose.
Most recently, 83 percent of individuals over the age of 65, 71 percent of residents between the ages of 55-64, 54 percent of residents between the ages of 45-54 and 30 percent of residents between the ages of 16-44 have received at least one vaccine dose. The state expects at least one COVID-19 vaccine will be approved for residents between the ages of 12 and 15 in coming weeks as recent test results indicated high effectiveness in preventing infections in that age group.
CDC and FDA Putting a Pause on the Johnson & Johnson Vaccine
The CDC and the US FDA are recommending that the U.S. pause the use of Johnson & Johnson’s Covid-19 vaccine over six reported US cases of a “rare and severe” type of blood clot out of an abundance of caution. The pause is only expected to last a matter of days, according to the Food and Drug Administration, to prepare the health care system for the rare type of blood clot. The six reported cases were among more than 6.8 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine administered in the United States, indicating an extremely rare incident rate of less than one-in-one-million, significantly lower than the risks of an individual catching COVID-19. All six cases occurred among women between the ages of 18 and 48, and symptoms occurred 6 to 13 days after vaccination. The FDA will be reviewing the cases. For people who have received the Johnson & Johnson shot, those who have developed severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain or shortness of breath within three weeks after vaccination should contact their health care provider. Anyone who has received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine should rest assured that the threat to their health is minimal.
FEMA COVID-19 Funeral Assistance Applications Now Live
If you or someone you know has lost a loved one to COVID-19 and needs assistance with the cost of a funeral, or who is struggling after the significant costs of holding a funeral, FEMA is now accepting applications for funeral assistance. To be eligible, a death must have occurred in the United States due to COVID-19 after January 20, 2020. The program is intended to ease some of the financial stress and burden faced by those already grappling with loss. Applicants will need official death certificates attributing death directly or indirectly to COVID-19; funeral expense documents including names of the applicant and the deceased as well as amounts of funeral expenses and dates of funerals; and proof of funds from other sources used for funeral costs.
If eligible, applicants will receive checks by mail or funds by direct deposit. Maximum awards are $9,000 per funeral with a max of $35,500 per registration, if there were multiple COVID-19 related deaths in one family. To apply, call 844-684-6333 Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Once an applicant’s registration is accepted, they will be provided access to a portal to share documents. For more information, please click here.
April Brings the Start of Tick Season
As temperatures rise and spring leaps into action, tick season is set to begin. With ticks increasingly carrying illnesses like Lyme disease, it’s more important than ever to be careful in finding and removing ticks from the body. The state Department of Public Health recommends checking for ticks after outdoor recreation in areas with wildlife and plant life, which involves looking at one’s body for any insects that may have latched on. If bitten by a tick, it is highly recommended to remove it with tweezers, grasping it close to its mouth near the skin surface and using gentle, steady pressure to pull it upward from skin until it releases. The Department of Public Health has more published information available here.
Black Maternal Health Week
This week is Black Maternal Health Week, observed during National Minority Health Month to raise awareness of gaps in maternal health experienced by Black women in the United States. This week is dedicated to Black maternal health as Black women are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes and 1.5 times more likely to experience severe complications as white women; Black mothers face higher risks at each stage of the labor, delivery and postpartum process as well. Bias and structural racism regarding health, chronic stress and quality of care have all been cited as contributors to those high rates. The Office of Minority Health has introduced materials to improve education on this topic including a free e-learning curriculum and a virtual health conference on April 16 and 17.
Conn. Gets C- for Infrastructure; Federal Support May Come
The White House gave Connecticut’s infrastructure a C- in a recent report indicating the quality of each state’s transportation resources including bridges, roads and the power grid. The report comes as federal leaders emphasize the importance of infrastructure investment, specifically seeking to support and improve infrastructure through the proposed American Jobs Plan.
According to the federal report, commute times have increased by nearly 11 percent in the last decade due to issues on roads and bridges and residents using public transportation spend an extra 130 percent of their time commuting. Other infrastructure priorities mentioned by the White House for improvement include:
- Improving the resilience of Connecticut’s infrastructure as 15 extreme weather events cost the state up to $5 billion in damages
- Assisting the 237,000 renters in Connecticut facing rent burden, meaning they spend more than 30 percent of their income on rent, with more affordable housing
- Improving access and product quality for the 18 percent of residents with only one internet provider in their area and the 12 percent without internet subscriptions
- The American Jobs Plan will invest $300 million for the manufacturing industry, which will benefit Connecticut’s 161,000 manufacturing workers
- Connecticut’s 184,000 veterans would receive support through efforts to improve VA health care facilities nationwide, with focus on ensuring appropriate care for women and older veterans
