HARTFORD, Conn — A hospital physician and Democratic state Senator is warning state leaders that lives are needlessly being lost. While the spike we saw in the Spring was much steeper than what we are experiencing now, hospitalizations have more than tripled since October.
After stepping out of the intensive care unit, State Senator Saud Anwar delivered a powerful video message. "Whoever is listening, if they are in a position of responsibility, they need to make a decision that we have to stop this transmission and use their authority to do it. People are going to die, and they do not have to die," said Dr. Anwar. Senator Anwar is also a doctor who specializes in lung disease and critical care at Manchester Memorial Hospital. His oath - first, do not harm. "All the sacrifices of the last many months, we are losing them," he said. "Have a backbone and stand up."
But as the leader of the state, Gov. Lamont is tasked with balancing the totality of the crisis. He said he has no interest in another lockdown. "It’s not a matter of a lockdown. It’s not a matter of a shutdown. It’s a matter of a tailored response," said Gov. Lamont.
On the heels of a joint meeting with Governors across the region, Lamont said hospitalizations are the key metric. Two weeks ago, he rolled back to phase 2.1 which reduced gathering limits, closed entertainment venues, and forced restaurants to shut down in-person dining by 9:30 PM — but the curve kept getting steeper. "The number of patients coming in are many more than why we expected," remarked Dr. Anwar.
Dr. Ajay Kumar, the Chief Clinical Officer for Hartford Healthcare offered a more diplomatic answer. "You can always think about can you tighten a bit more and reduce a bit more. I think some of those conversations are happening right now we might see that but at this time I can’t fault what this administration has been doing I think they’ve been thoughtful."
COVID’s impact on Connecticut can be measured in money and more importantly lives. We’ve lost nearly 4,800 souls and a projected $1.2-billion dollars. Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith who helped plan Connecticut’s reopening now serves as the Co-Chair of President-Elect Biden’s COVID task force. "Keep in mind safety and economic recovery. We have to carry both. My answer is it has to be a precise adjustment of the dial-up and down. It’s not a light switch," she said.
In some positive news, Hartford Healthcare said they’ve made great progress in managing patients. The rate of deaths has gone down, and fewer people are on ventilators.