Gov. Ned Lamont announced 黑料新闻鈥檚 COVID-19 public health emergency will end on Thursday, May 11, the same day as the federal public health emergency is set to expire.
The announcement delivered at Yale New Haven Hospital Wednesday came as COVID-19 hospitalizations in 黑料新闻 are at their lowest point since the summer of 2021. Deaths associated with the virus have also dropped nationwide by more than 80%, .
The virus is now in the endemic stage, state officials said, but COVID-19 must continue to be managed.
Dr. Manisha Juthani, commissioner of the state Department of Public Health, said the DPH will begin to track COVID-19 data on a much like it does for the flu. The agency will continue to issue guidelines for vaccinations, boosters, and masking, but will do so seasonally.
The state will continue to monitor wastewater for new COVID strains.
鈥淲e are in a place where COVID is part of our society and is part of what we are living with,鈥� Juthani said. 鈥淭hree years into this, the virus is not going away. The virus will need to be managed. My hope is that it鈥檚 going to be managed on a seasonal basis.鈥�
Officials said they are well prepared for the next COVID wave, or a more virulent mutation.
鈥淲e've made investments for the future both to address some of the consequences of the pandemic that went beyond COVID itself, but also to make sure that we're prepared,鈥� said Dr. Deidre Gifford, executive director of the state Office of Health Strategy. 鈥淗uge investments in ventilation in our schools and other health care facilities 鈥� $165 invested in schools.鈥�
An additional $150 million was recently announced. And, a statewide inventory of 30,000 medication courses are at providers and pharmacies, as well as a stockpile of more than 16 million gloves, 9 million gowns, 6.4 million N95 masks, and over 9 million surgical masks.
