This map, updated May 20, shows the average daily rate of new cases of COVID-19 by town during the past two weeks. Both Lyme and Old Lyme are now in the (lowest) Gray Zone. (Only cases among persons living in community settings are included in this map; the map does not include cases among people who reside in nursing home, assisted living, or correctional facilities.) Map: Ver 12.1.2020 Source: CT Department of Public Health Get the data Created with Datawrapper.
LYME/OLD LYME — The report issued Thursday, May 20, by the Connecticut Department of Public Health (CT DPH) for the average daily rate of new cases of COVID-19 by town during the past two weeks shows another massive improvement for the state as whole with the number of towns remaining in the Red Zone (indicating the highest COVID-19 new case rates) falling to eight from last week’s number of 26.
Both Lyme and Old Lyme are now in the Gray (lowest rate) Zone for two-week new case rates. It is the second week for Old Lyme in that Zone, but Lyme is in the Gray Zone for a 10th straight week. Eighty towns are in this zone increasing from 51 last week.
Compare the map above with the one we published Dec. 18, 2020 to see the remarkable progress that has been made with controlling the spread of the virus through expansion of vaccination rates and improved mitigation strategies.
Map of Connecticut dated Dec. 17 showing both Lyme and Old Lyme now in the CT DPH-identified ‘Red Zone.’ This is defined as when the Average Daily Rate of COVID-19 Cases Among Persons Living in Community Settings per 100,000 Population By Town is over 15.
Neither Lyme nor Old Lyme reported any new cases in the May 20 report meaning Lyme holds steady at 107 cases and Old Lyme at 342.
The eight towns in the Red (highest rate with 15 or more COVID-19 cases per 100,000 population) zone are East Hartford, Hartford, Meriden, Morris, New Britain, Putnam, Thomaston and Waterbury.
The 61 (up from 51 last week) towns in the Yellow (second lowest rate) Zone are: Ansonia, Beacon Falls, Berlin, Bethel, Bolton, Branford, Bristol, Brookfield, Brooklyn, Burlington, Coventry, Danbury, Deep River, Durham, East Hampton, East Lyme, East Windsor, Enfield, Griswold, Groton, Haddam, Hebron, Litchfield, Marlborough, Middletown, Monroe, Montville, New Canaan, New Fairfield, New Milford, Newington, Newtown, North Haven, North Stonington, Norwich, Plainfield, Plymouth, Redding, Rocky Hill, Seymour, Shelton, Somers, South Windsor, Southington, Stafford, Stamford, Suffield, Thompson, Torrington, Vernon, Wallingford, Waterford, Watertown, West Hartford, West Haven, Wethersfield, Winchester, Windham, Windsor Locks, Wolcott and Woodbury.
The Orange (second highest rate) Zone now has 20 (down from 41 last week) towns : Bloomfield, Bridgeport, Cromwell, Derby, East Haven, Hamden, Killingly, Ledyard, Lisbon, Manchester, Naugatuck, New Haven, New London, Norwalk, Plainville, Prospect, Salem, Stratford, Willington and Windsor.
- The Gray category is defined as when the Average Daily Rate of COVID-19 Cases Among Persons Living in Community Settings per 100,000 Population By Town is less than five or less than five reported cases.
- The Yellow category is defined as when the Average Daily Rate of COVID-19 Cases Among Persons Living in Community Settings per 100,000 Population By Town is between five and nine reported cases.
- The Orange category is defined as when the Average Daily Rate of COVID-19 Cases Among Persons Living in Community Settings per 100,000 Population By Town is between 10 and 14.
- The Red category is defined as when the Average Daily Rate of COVID-19 Cases Among Persons Living in Community Settings per 100,000 Population By Town exceeds 15.
In all cases, this rate does not include cases or tests among residents of nursing home, assisted living, or correctional facilities.
Ledge Light Health District (LLHD) also issued their latest weekly report of COVID data for the municipalities within their District. Lyme and Old Lyme are the only towns in the nine-town district reported to have less than five new cases in the past two weeks.
Ledge Light Director of Health Stephen Mansfield prefaces the report with the comment, “We are happy to see a continued decrease in the number of new cases throughout our jurisdiction, and encourage everyone to get vaccinated! Most of the clusters reported by our contact tracers are associated with sporting events or family gatherings.”
Vaccination rates in Lyme and Old Lyme are also extremely encouraging with 77.5 percent of the population having received at least one does of the COVID-19 vaccine and the equivalent number for Old Lyme being 69.31 percent. These are some of the highest percentages in the state.
OLD SAYBROOK — The last chance locally for a while to vaccinate adults and 12- to 15-year-old children against COVID-19 will be held this Sunday, May 23.