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11/12/2020 11:00 PMWestbrook is now in the highest category of COVID-19 infections, as designated by the state Department of Public Health.
Westbrook was notified late in the afternoon on Nov. 12 that the town’s risk category had been moved up from Orange to Red, “from a previous case rate of 10.3 [per 100,000 residents] to the current case rate of 25.8 per 100,000...per day,” according to a press release by Westbrook Director of Public Health Zachary Faiella.
“Simply put, this means COVID-19 infection among Westbrook residents is increasing at an alarming rate,” Faiella wrote in the release.
The total number of confirmed cases in the town was 73 on Nov. 12, with an additional four probable cases. The previous Thursday, Nov. 5, Westbrook had a total 58 cases, an increase from 49 the week before.
“This has been the largest week-by-week increase in cases since the beginning of the pandemic among Westbrook residents,” the press release read. “Additionally, the State of Connecticut has seen a drastic increase in COVID-19 infections and COVID-19 associated hospitalizations.”
Schools Move to Remote Learning
As a consequence, and according to the Westbrook School District’s plan for the 2020–2021 academic year, the towns three public schools moved to remote learning the following day, Nov. 13.
Interim Superintendent Patricia Charles notified parents by email on Nov. 12.
“Effective tomorrow all students will move to distance learning,” Charles wrote. “New metrics from DPH come out every Thursday and we will re-evaluate our learning mode based on those metrics and our ability to fully staff our buildings.”
In an telephone interview on Nov. 13, Charles explained that she will confer with Faiella each week to determine whether students can return to school, and on what basis.
“When the new metrics come out, Zach Faiella and I will again look at the data and of course, if it continues to be in the 25 range, we’re going to have to stay where we are” and continue distance learning, she said. “But hopefully the numbers will come down and we’ll be back in person. I firmly believe that in person is the best learning situation for our kids.”
Charles had spent the morning of Nov. 13 delivering laptops to pre-schoolers.
“Everyone’s been very good, picking up laptops and materials, and we’ve been delivering materials to those who can’t get them,” she said.
The school lunch program is still available, according to Charles. Parents should call their children’s schools to order meals by the week or by the day. Breakfasts can be combined with lunches to minimize pickups.
Preventing Spread
Faiella urged residents in his press release to wear masks, not only in public, but at home when visitors are present. In addition to maintaining social distancing and regularly washing hands, he advised limiting trips outside the home and canceling non-essential gatherings and those where social distancing is not possible. Those at high risk for COVID-19 should strictly adhere to these precautions.
Residents who receive calls from the town’s health department should share information, which can help reduce COVID-19 spread, the release said. The information will be kept confidential.
Those who believe they’ve been in contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 should self-quarantine for 14 days. More information on when quarantining is necessary is available on the Centers for Disease Control website, cdc.gov.
Free testing is available in Old Saybrook Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Saybrook Point, 145 College Street.
Additional information about getting tested for COVID-19 may be found at uwc.211ct.org/coronavirus-covid-19-information.