Good Afternoon Fairfielders,
As of tonight, Fairfield has 35 confirmed cases of COVID-19 of the 2,571 in Connecticut. We are currently in the acceleration phase of the pandemic and expect to see dramatic increases in the number of residents who contract COVID-19. Since we sent out our newsletter on Friday, we’ve lost of first Fairfield resident to the coronavirus. I share my sincere condolences to this Fairfield family who lost their loved one during this difficult time.
Please know that I am thinking about every family in Fairfield who living in these uncertain times, and great appreciation to our health professionals who are working around the clock, and our first responders who are on the front lines and continue to protect our community during this national health emergency.
I do want to take this opportunity to say THANK YOU:
- Thank you to our Emergency Management Team who is working around the clock to plan and protect our residents.
- Thank you to our Town Employees including fire, police, health and DPW who are working to protect our town and continue providing services to residents; and to our employees working from Town Hall and from home. We appreciate you!
- Thank you to the Chinese American Heritage Association as well as local dental offices for donating several hundred masks and other PPE to Fairfield's First Responders.
- Thank you to the nearly 80 residents who donated to the Operation Hope Food Drive and its organizers this weekend.
- Thank you to our local businesses and food establishments who have revised their operations to continue to serve our residents.
The outpouring of kindness and support our community is showing to one another is inspiring. On that note, my administration is working to establish a COVID-19 Relief Fund which will aim to help residents who have experienced financial hardship as a result of the virus. We will begin accepting donations to this fund as well as applications from residents seeking support later this week. I will share more information soon.
I know many of our residents are facing very challenging times with lay-offs and many small businesses who have been ordered to temporarily shut down. I am in discussions with our Tax Collector, the Town Attorney and the state on how our town can assist impacted residents with property tax interest and penalty relief. The current town regulations allow residents to pay their April 1st tax bill by April 30th with no interest or penalties, by which time we expect to have new state and/or town programs in place to assist our impacted residents and businesses.
For more information on state and federal support for businesses, click here. There is a Small Business Owner’s Guide to the Federal CARES Act here.
Over the weekend, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) approved Connecticut’s request for a major disaster declaration, which releases the federal funding needed to fight the COVID-19 pandemic as it continues its spread across our state. We will be working with our congressional delegation to ensure that all possible aid and relief is made available to those individuals and businesses who need it.
It was with good reason that Fairfield's Emergency Management Team made the decision to close public recreational spaces when we did. Towns throughout Fairfield County are now following suit. We all have an obligation to do everything we can to protect the health and safety of our residents. I want to sincerely thank Fairfield's three country clubs who stepped up and closed their golf courses in an effort to help stop the spread of this highly contagious virus. This will go a long way toward our town's ability to protect everyone in our community and reduce pressure on our first responders and healthcare professionals.
I want to make a special request to parents of teenagers. I received many reports over the weekend regarding high school students gathering at parking lots of schools, fields and at beaches out of town. I am asking all parents have a serious conversation with their children, if you haven't already, about the importance of staying home and not gathering with members outside of your household. I say this in the most sincere way, it is all of our civic responsibility to stop the spread of this deadly virus.
I encourage you to scroll through to the bottom of this email for more important resources and information.
We will get through this together if we stay apart. Be safe.
Sincerely,
Brenda L. Kupchick
First Selectwoman
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TESTING & GUIDANCE
At this time testing remains limited and priority is given to those who are at high risk. The CT Department of Public Health has said if you experience any symptoms of COVID-19 which include fever, cough, or shortness of breath to assume that you have the virus. While a test would confirm the virus, it would not change treatment which includes hydration, rest, and over the counter medications to help alleviate symptoms if necessary. For more information on testing sites, click on the image to the right or visit: fairfieldct.org/covid19.
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Center for Family Justice recently closed its main Bridgeport offices in  response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Staff is now working remotely to serve clients in crisis. Domestic violence programs throughout the state are concerned victims may lack the ability to safely reach out for help as they are forced to stay in close quarters with an abuser.
24/7 hotline numbers through your community’s social media channels, web sites, community letters and during any public briefings you may hold during the coming days. The hotline numbers are:
Domestic Violence: 203-384-9559
Sexual Violence: 203-333-2233
Spanish Hotline: 888-568-8332
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GROCERY STORES
We are in continued communication with grocery store managers in town and have spoken with state officials. The Governor put out another executive order which requires all retail establishments that have been allowed to remain open to ensure six feet of distance between customers and employ touchless payment technology wherever available. It also suspends the tax on single-use checkout plastic bags and prohibits employers from requiring employees to place items in customers' reusable bags. Refer to our website for more information.
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RESTAURANTS 
Fairfield is lucky to have countless restaurants that have altered their businesses to provide take out, delivery and curbside pick up.
Click on the image to the right view the full listing.
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TOWN GOVERNMENT
Each department will have new guidelines as to how you can reach them on various services. Please visit this summary page for an overview and follow links to specific departments for more information.
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UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS
If you become unemployed due to coronavirus (COVID-19), you should file for unemployment benefits. Click here for more information. For frequently asked questions about coronavirus (COVID-19) for workers and employers click here.
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IMPORTANT SEWER NOTICE FROM WPCA:
Please DO NOT flush rubber gloves, disinfectant wipes (or any type of wipes), paper towels, facial tissue or any materials other than toilet paper down your toilet as they are NOT designed to break down in the wastewater treatment process.
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- Practice social distancing
- Avoid close contact with those who are sick
- Wash your hands often for 20 seconds with warm soap and water. Hand washing is preferred but if not available, use a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol content
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth
- Stay home when you are sick
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, then throw the tissue immediately away
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects (including your cell phone and computer keyboard) and surfaces using regular household cleaning spray or wipe
- Face masks are recommended for use for only people who show symptoms of COVID-19 to help prevent the spread of the disease to others.
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Important COVID-19 Links:
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Contact Information:
For general questions you can call 211
Hartford HealthCare’s COVID-19 Clinical Command Center hotline, staffed by healthcare professionals, is now available to the community. To reach the 24-hour hotline, call 860.972.8100 or (toll-free) 833.621.0600.
YNHH has a call center number it’s 1-833-ASK YNHH that’s open from 7am - 7pm.
For additional information and prevention tips, refer to the Health Department website at: www.fairfieldct.org/health or the Fairfield homepage under news at www.fairfieldct.org. |
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PREVIOUS COVID-19 UPDATES:
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