By Richard Kaufman
Similar to trends all around the country, COVID-19 numbers in Greenwich appear to be improving with each passing week.
According to an update on Wednesday from First Selectman Fred Camillo, the total number of residents who have tested positive for the virus since the pandemic began was at 4,036, an increase of just 17 from Feb. 24. In the week leading up to Feb. 24, cases increased by 118.
Active cases on Wednesday stood at 135, down five from last week. The total death toll, however, increased by one to 82.
“This is a very different feel compared to [this time] last year,” Camillo said, as the one year anniversary approaches of when shutdowns around the country began. “We’re trying to close the game. We don’t want to lose the lead here in the late innings. We have to stay focused.”
Greenwich Hospital continues to see positive trends as well. According hospital President Diane Kelly, as of Wednesday there were 21 COVID positive patients being treated in-house, with four of those patients in the Intensive Care Unit.
Throughout the Yale New Haven Health System’s five hospitals as of Wednesday, there were 175 patients being treated, compared to 213 last week.
Greenwich Hospital has been around the 21 patient mark before, but numbers have jumped up shortly after.
“We definitely are starting to feel that decline. I’m looking at the system-wide trend and our trend, and hoping for the best,” she said.
Vaccinations
Kelly reported that Greenwich Hospital, in partnership with the Town of Greenwich, is continuing to successfully administer COVID-19 vaccinations. Earlier this week, Greenwich Hospital and Yale New Haven Health opened a website specifically for teachers to sign up and get vaccination appointments. Time slots filled up almost immediately. For more information, go to ynhhs.org/covidvaccine.
More slots will open up as vaccine doses become available.
“We’re only opening slots when we have the secured doses allocated to us,” Kelly added.
Recently, Yale New Haven Health System received its first shipment of over 7,000 of the newly approved Johnson & Johnson single-dose vaccine. It will be allocated across the health system.
When residents go to schedule an appointment, they’ll be able to see what day the Johnson & Johnson vaccine will be available.
Kelly said she has urged her family to take whatever appointment is available first, regardless of vaccine brand.
After repeated attempts at signing up for a vaccine appointment in Greenwich earlier this week, Camillo was able to secure a time slot at Stamford Hospital for March 14.
“I’m very happy,” said Camillo.
Kelly reminded residents to “stick with it” if they are unable to secure an appointment right away.
“If you’re on the site and you’re not able to get an appointment, get off, wait a little bit, and go back when you can. You just have to be persistent and try several times each day,” she said.
To look up CT vaccine clinics, go to ct.gov/covidvaccine.
Eligible residents can go to ynhhs.org/covidvaccine to find an appointment at a Yale New Haven Health site. The Greenwich Department of Health utilizes the Vaccine Administration Management System (VAMS). For more information, go to the Dept. of Health page at greenwichct.gov.
