2021-10-08 CORONA VIRUS UPDATE #76
To: All residents
From: Steve Dunn, First Selectman
COVID CASES IN BROOKFIELD
As we discussed on our last CodeRED on September 29th, we had continued our mask mandate in Brookfield due to the high case rate of 18.1 per 100,000 people and the high positivity rate of 4.7 percent for tests given. At that time, we said that we would remove the mandate when the case rate fell below 10 per 100 thousand and the positivity rate fell below 3 percent for two weeks in a row.
The latest report we have gotten is very heartening. The case rate has fallen to 8, down from 14.3 per 100 thousand from last week’s report and the positivity rate has fallen to 1.8 percent, down from 3.6 percent for the prior week. That means we have now had one week of rates within the range needed to eliminate the mask mandate. If next week’s rates stay at the current level or drop further, we will then drop the mask mandate in Brookfield. Thank you to everyone who helped get these numbers to drop so significantly in the past two weeks.
MASK RULES CONTINUED
The Town of Brookfield recently imposed a mandatory mask requirement in all town-owned buildings, regardless of vaccine status. Unfortunately, the most recent data on the COVID-19 “Delta” variant shows a continued rapid increase in the spread of this highly contagious virus. Furthermore, health authorities expect to see more of the same over the next few weeks.
As a consequence, the Town of Brookfield, in accordance with the Town of Brookfield emergency orders coterminous with the Governor’s Emergency Powers, will join forces with our neighboring towns in continuing the mask requirement to include all publicly used indoor spaces.
The use of face masks that cover the nose and mouth is mandatory in all indoor areas, both public and private, regardless of vaccine status, where safe social distancing cannot be maintained. This includes all indoor spaces that are open to the public. Business owners are advised to post notices at all entry points to inform the public of the requirement (see list below for exclusions).
The Delta variant has been found to be more highly contagious than the original (“Alpha”) strain. It is more easily contracted, especially by children, and can be spread asymptomatically to unvaccinated family members with the potential for very serious or fatal consequences.
We sincerely hope this measure will be temporary. We will continue to monitor the data issued by the Centers for Disease Control and the Connecticut Department of Public Health and will adjust our policies as needed.
Not included in this order:
• Private residences
• Work spaces not accessible to the general public
• Indoor restaurant dining when seated at the table
• Outdoor dining
Thank you for your cooperation in helping keep our community safe.