HARTFORD, Conn. — Governor Ned Lamont held a news briefing Monday afternoon to provide updates on Connecticut’s coronavirus response efforts. He was joined by Pfizer's Senior Vice President of Global Safety Research and Development and Director of the company's Groton Labs Site John Burkhardt and Trinity Health of New England’s President and CEO; and co-chair of Governor Lamont’s COVID-19 Vaccine Advisory Group Dr. Reginald Eadie.
Connecticut COVID-19 statistics over the weekend from November 6 to 8 showed an increase in hospitalizations and COVID-19 related deaths.
The state administered 89,686 tests and 3,338 came back positive. The positivity rate over the weekend was about 3.72 percent. There was an increase of 94 patients being hospitalized for the virus since Thursday. There are now 496 people currently hospitalized for COVID-19.
There were 27 new reported COVID-19 related deaths over the weekend, bringing the state death to 4,698 people. Hartford County has the most COVID-19 related confirmed deaths with 1,192 people.
Earlier Monday, Gov. Lamont announced that he has approved more than $11 million in state funding for grants through the Small Town Economic Assistance Program (STEAP).
The program will award funding to 94 small towns across Connecticut for various infrastructure improvement projects. This is the first time since 2016 that the state has awarded STEAP funding.
Some of the approved projects include items such as the construction of a pavilion to hold outdoor municipal meetings, breathing units for firefighters as part of their response to COVID-19, and HVAC improvements related to the pandemic, among other items, officials said.
“Our small towns have been hit hard by COVID-19 and are in need of our help to fund these projects,” Governor Lamont said. “Simply put, some of our small towns need to modernize their infrastructure so that we can support efforts to grow the economy but lack the property tax base they need to fully fund these projects on their own. The state can and should do what we can to help with these costs as these small towns drive tourism, honor our deep and celebrated history, and provide us with family-friendly getaways that are part of the New England experience.”
According to a release, STEAP grants are coordinated by the Connecticut Office of Policy and Management, and grants are administered by the appropriate state agencies depending on the specific project involved.
Under state law, STEAP grants can only be used for capital projects. A project is considered to be a capital project if it is new construction, expansion, renovation, or replacement for an existing facility or facilities. Project costs can include the cost of land, design, engineering, architectural planning, and contract services needed to complete the project. Towns selected for an award are required to execute a contract with the state agency assigned to administer their grant before they incur any project-related expenditures.