Feb. 10 Daily COVID-19 Update: 97% of CT Towns Still in Red Zone for Case Rates; Three New Cases In Old Lyme Take Cumulative Case Total to 995, One New Case in Lyme Raises Total There to 248

This map, updated Feb.10, 2022 shows the average daily rate of new cases of COVID-19 by town during the past two weeks. Both Lyme and Old Lyme remain in the Red (highest) Zone, while five towns are now in the 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 Daily Data Report issued Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022, around 4 p.m. by the Connecticut Department of Health(CT DPH) shows three new, confirmed COVID-19 cases in Old Lyme taking the town’s cumulative case total from 992 to 995. 

There was one new case reported in Lyme taking the cumulative total of cases there from 247 to 248. .

The next Daily Data Report will be issued by the state Friday, Feb. 11, around 4 p.m.

Fatalities Due to COVID-19 in Lyme, Old Lyme

There has been one COVID-related fatality of a Lyme resident: a 57-year-old male passed away Nov. 16, 2021. On Nov. 30, the state finally included this fatality in its data

Four COVID-related fatalities have now been reported in Old Lyme. The first two fatalities from Old Lyme, which were reported in 2020, were a 61-year-old female and an 82-year-old male.

Details of the third and fourth fatalities, which were reported respectively in 2021 and on Feb. 4, 2022, have not been made available.

Statewide Data

The state’s COVID-19 Daily Positivity Rate on Thursday, Feb. 10, fell from Wednesday’s number of 5.16% to 4.45% and the number of COVID-related hospitalizations decreased by 23 to 529.

Of those hospitalized, 254 (representing 48.0%) are not fully vaccinated.

The total number of COVID-related deaths in Connecticut has risen to 10,219.

In the Feb. 10 COVID Case Rate map, the total number of towns in the Red (highest) Zone for case rates has fallen by five since last week to 164, leaving five towns in the stateBridgewater, Canaan, Colebrook, Hartland and Warren — not in the Red Zone, but rather all in the Gray Zone.

This number of 164 is equivalent to 97.0 percent of towns in the state, which remain in the Red Zone.

All the towns in the Ledge Light Health District (LLHD) are in the Red Zone.

Old Lyme is in the Red (highest) Zone for the 12th consecutive week: prior to this, the last time Old Lyme was in the Red Zone was Sept. 30, 2021.

Lyme is in the Red Zone for the 10th week in succession.

The CT DPH will issue an updated map of the zones Thursday, Feb. 17 — the map is updated weekly on Thursdays.

Extracts from the Feb. 10, 2022 CT DPH report

As of Feb. 2, 2022: (the number in parentheses is from Jan. 26, 2022)

  • Number of cases of COVID-19 among fully vaccinated persons in Connecticut: 163,170 (150,141)
  • Number of fully vaccinated persons in Connecticut: 2,628,772 (2,569,296)
  • Percent of fully vaccinated persons, who have contracted COVID-19: 6.21% (5.84%)

For the week beginning Jan. 9, 2022: (the number in parentheses is from Jan. 16, 2022)

  • Risk of unvaccinated persons testing positive for COVID-19 as compared to fully vaccinated persons: 3.1x greater (3.1x greater)
  • Risk of unvaccinated persons dying from COVID-19 as compared to fully vaccinated persons: 15.2% (12.9x greater)

Increase in Cases in Lyme & Old Lyme Since August 2021

The cumulative total of confirmed cases for Old Lyme has now increased by 552 since Wednesday, Nov. 10, when the total stood at 443 — that number had stood unchanged for a week since the previous Thursday, Nov. 4.

On Aug. 26 — which was the day Lyme-Old Lyme Schools started the new academic year — Old Lyme’s cumulative case total stood at 372, meaning there have now been 623 new cases there since that date. Meanwhile, Lyme’s cumulative total on Aug. 26 was 114 indicating 134 new cases have also been confirmed there during the same period.

Ledge Light Health District Update

All the towns in the Ledge Light Health District (LLHD), of which both Lyme and Old Lyme are members, are in the Red Zone. In the past two weeks, Lyme has had 18 new cases while Old Lyme has reported 53.

In an email sent Thursday, Feb. 10, regarding the latest COVID-19 data, Ledge Light Health District (LLHD) Director of Health Stephen Mansfield states, “Although the number of new cases and hospitalizations continues to decrease, we are still experiencing high average daily case rates, and a continued focus on preventing transmission is important.”

He continues, “Based on the current level of community transmission, both the Connecticut Department of Public Health and the CDC continue to recommend that everyone wear a mask indoors, regardless of vaccination status.”

Finally, he states, “LLHD continues to focus our vaccination efforts on homebound populations and providing initial vaccinations and boosters to individuals who were vaccinated previously. Information about vaccination opportunities can be found at https://llhd.org/coronavirus-covid-19-situation/covid-19-vaccine/.”

COVID testing opportunities can be found at COVID-19 Testing | Ledge Light Health District (llhd.org)

The following link provides centralized access to Connecticut COVID data: https://data.ct.gov/stories/s/COVID-19-data/wa3g-tfvc/

The next Ledge Light update is due Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022.

Lyme-Old Lyme Schools Update

Under new state protocols for schools, Lyme-Old Lyme (LOL) Schools are no longer required to carry out contact tracing , but LOL Schools Superintendent Ian Neviaser said in a Jan. 4 email to the school community that he, “… will continue to notify the school community of any positive cases of COVID-19 that impact the schools.”

A full listing of all LOL Schools-related cases during 2022 is given below. On Thursday, Feb. 10, two new cases were reported in LOL Schools.

Lyme-Old Lyme Schools closed Dec. 23, 2021 and reopened Monday, Jan. 3, 2022 after the winter break meaning no new cases were reported by the schools during that period. We are no longer including positive cases impacting LOL schools between Aug 26, 2021 (the first day of the 2021-22 academic school year) and Dec. 23, 2021 (the last day of school before winter break began), in this report. During that period contact tracing was still required.

View the full listing of cases during that period (8/26/21 – 12/23/21) at this link.

The listing below is the latest information that we have with the most recent cases first — there may have been further updates, however, which we have not yet received.

The following abbreviations are used in the lists below: LOLHS: Lyme-Old Lyme High School, LOLMS: Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School, CS: MC: Mile Creek School, and Center School Pre-Kindergarten.

Thursday, Feb. 10
Total: 2, Lyme: 1, CS: 1

Wednesday, Feb. 9
Total: 2, LOLHS: 1, MC: 1

Tuesday, Feb. 8
Total: 0

Monday, Feb. 7
Total: 3, 
Lyme: 1, MC: 1, CS: 1

Sunday, Feb. 6
Total: 2, 
LOLMS: 1, MC: 1

Friday, Feb. 4
Total: 5, 
LOLHS: 2, LOLMS: 1, MC: 2

Thursday, Feb. 3
Total: 1, 
Lyme: 1

Wednesday, Feb. 2
Total: 3, 
MC: 3

Tuesday, Feb. 1
Total: 1, 
MC: 1

JANUARY 2022
Monday, Jan. 31: Total: 2, 
LOLMS: 1, Lyme: 1
Sunday, Jan. 30: Total: 1, Lyme: 1
Friday, Jan. 28: Total: 3, LOLHS: 1, LOLMS: 1, MC: 1
Thursday, Jan. 27: Total: 3, LOLHS: 1, Lyme: 2
Wednesday, Jan. 26: Total: 3, LOLHS: 1, MC: 2
Tuesday, Jan. 25: Total: 4, LOLMS: 2, MC: 2
Monday, Jan. 24: Total: 9, LOLHS: 2, LOLMS: 1, Lyme: 1, MC: 4, CS: 1
Sunday, Jan. 23: Total: 3, LOLMS: 1, Lyme: 2
Friday, Jan. 21: Total: 8, LOLHS: 4, LOLMS: 2, MC: 2
Thursday, Jan. 20: Total: 5, LOLMS: 1, MC: 1, Lyme: 3
Wednesday, Jan.19: Total: 7, LOLHS: 2, LOLMS: 4, CS: 1
Tuesday, Jan. 18: Total: 7, LOLHS: 3, LOLMS: 2, MC: 2
Monday, Jan. 17: Total: 6, Lyme: 4, MC: 2
Friday, Jan. 14: Total: 3, MC: 2, LOLHS: 1
Wednesday, Jan. 12: Total: 3, MC: 2, LOLMS: 1
Monday, Jan. 10: Total: 3, CS: 1, Lyme: 2
Sunday, Jan. 9: Total: 2, MC: 1, Lyme: 1
Friday, Jan. 7: Total: 1, MC: 1:
Thursday, Jan. 6: Total: 7, LOLHS: 5, Lyme: 1, CS: 1
Wednesday, Jan. 5: Total: 14, LOLHS: 6, MC: 1, Lyme: 3, CS: 4
Tuesday, Jan. 4:Total: 5, LOLHS: 4, CS: 1

Lyme-Old Lyme Preschool Peer Visits Offered; Register Now for a March 11 Visit

LYME/OLD LYME — The Lyme-Old Lyme Preschool is a tuition free program designed for identified special education students and selected peers. This program serves preschool age children in the communities of Lyme and Old Lyme.

If you are interested in having your three-year-old child participate in the Lyme-Old Lyme Special Needs Preschool as a peer during the 2022-2023 school year, visits are being scheduled for March 11, 2022.

Children who are three by Sept. 1, 2022 are welcome to participate in a spring peer visit.

All mitigating measures as recommended by the Department of Public Health and Connecticut State Department of Education will be implemented during the visits.

Peer selection is lottery-based, with consideration for age and gender balance in each preschool class.

Contact Jennifer Frazier or Tracy Pompano at Center School (860-434-0487) for more information.

Letter to the Editor: Update on Tantummaheag Town Landing Situation Overdue, Required so All Residents Can Understand Outcome

To the Editor:

I am writing all three Selectmen as I have not heard back from [Old Lyme First Selectman] Tim Griswold regarding an update to the Tantummaheag Town Landing after three emails.

It is disappointing that this issue has not been resolved and is no longer on the agenda for your board meetings.

I first notified Tim about this issue in July of 2020, we had a special town meeting in January of 2021 where it was determined that signage would be put up with clear markings as to town/private property. Nothing happened. In the meantime the adjacent property owner did a title search and claims that this property is NOT owned by the town, but is his property. Last time I was at a Board meeting Tim was supposed to arrange a meeting with some people in the neighboring Coult Lane area to meet with the property owners (who continue to make it difficult for people driving to the landing).

Has this meeting been arranged? Why are the people of Coult Lane the only ones included … this is TOWN-owned property. It seems as though that we are conceding to the Frampton’s claims and this is not on Mr. Griswold’s radar and nothing has been done – other than cost of the tax payers money for town attorney fees because of inaction.

Will this be put back on the agenda so the entire town can understand what is going on? Access to the Connecticut River is important for all of the citizens in Old Lyme.

Sincerely,

Rebecca Griffin,
Old Lyme.

Feb.7-9 Daily COVID Update: Two New Cases in Old Lyme Take Cumulative Total to 992, No New Cases in Lyme for Two Days Hold Total at 247

Photo by CDC on Unsplash.

LYME-OLD LYME — The Daily Data Report issued Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2022, around 4 p.m. by the Connecticut Department of Health(CT DPH) shows two new, confirmed COVID-19 cases in Old Lyme taking the town’s cumulative case total from 990 to 992. Yesterday, Tuesday, Feb. 8, there were five new cases in OL and on Monday, Feb. 7, there were three, taking last Friday’s total of 982 to today’s number of 992.

There were no new cases reported in Lyme today or yesterday leaving the cumulative total of cases there at 247. On Monday, Feb. 7, three new cases were reported in Lyme taking last Friday’s total of 244 to today’s number of 247.

The next Daily Data Report will be issued by the state Thursday, Feb. 10, around 4 p.m.

Fatalities Due to COVID-19 in Lyme, Old Lyme

There has been one COVID-related fatality of a Lyme resident: a 57-year-old male passed away Nov. 16, 2021. On Nov. 30, the state finally included this fatality in its data

Four COVID-related fatalities have now been reported in Old Lyme. The first two fatalities from Old Lyme, which were reported in 2020, were a 61-year-old female and an 82-year-old male.

Details of the third and fourth fatalities, which were reported respectively in 2021 and on Feb. 4, 2022, have not been made available.

Statewide Data

The state’s COVID-19 Daily Positivity Rate on Wednesday, Feb. 9, fell from Tuesday’s number of 7.08% to 5.16%. The Daily Positivity Rate on Monday was 4.77% down from Friday’s number of 6.58%. COVID-related hospitalizations decreased by 55 to 552. Monday and Tuesday’s numbers were respectively 631 and 607.

Of those hospitalized, 272 (representing 49.3%) are not fully vaccinated.

The total number of COVID-related deaths in Connecticut has risen to 10,158. (Source: NYTimes.com)

In the Feb. 3 COVID Case Rate map published in our Feb. 3 Daily COVID-19 Update, the total number of towns in the Red (highest) Zone for case rates has fallen by one since last week to 167, leaving two towns in the state — Canaan and Norfolk — not in the Red Zone. This number of 167 is equivalent to 98.8 percent of towns in the state.

All the towns in the Ledge Light Health District (LLHD) are in the Red Zone.

Old Lyme is in the Red (highest) Zone for the 11th consecutive week: prior to this, the last time Old Lyme was in the Red Zone was Sept. 30, 2021.

Lyme is in the Red Zone for the 9th week in succession.

The CT DPH will issue an updated map of the zones Thursday, Feb. 10 — the map is updated weekly on Thursdays.

Extracts from the Feb. 3, 2022 CT DPH report

As of Jan. 26, 2022: (the number in parentheses is from Jan. 19, 2022)

  • Number of cases of COVID-19 among fully vaccinated persons in Connecticut: 150,141 (115,021)
  • Number of fully vaccinated persons in Connecticut: 2,569,296 (2,540,829)
  • Percent of fully vaccinated persons, who have contracted COVID-19: 5.84% (4.53%)

For the week beginning Jan. 16, 2022: (the number in parentheses is from Jan. 9, 2021)

  • Risk of unvaccinated persons testing positive for COVID-19 as compared to fully vaccinated persons: 3.1x greater (3.4x greater)
  • Risk of unvaccinated persons dying from COVID-19 as compared to fully vaccinated persons: 12.9x greater (18.6x greater)

Increase in Cases in Lyme & Old Lyme Since August 2021

The cumulative total of confirmed cases for Old Lyme has now increased by 549 since Wednesday, Nov. 10, when the total stood at 443 — that number had stood unchanged for a week since the previous Thursday, Nov. 4.

On Aug. 26 — which was the day Lyme-Old Lyme Schools started the new academic year — Old Lyme’s cumulative case total stood at 372, meaning there have now been 620 new cases there since that date. Meanwhile, Lyme’s cumulative total on Aug. 26 was 114 indicating 133 new cases have also been confirmed there during the same period.

Ledge Light Health District Update

All the towns in the Ledge Light Health District (LLHD), of which both Lyme and Old Lyme are members, are in the Red Zone.

In an email sent Thursday, Feb. 3, regarding the latest COVID-19 data, Ledge Light Health District (LLHD) Director of Health Stephen Mansfield states, “Although the number of new cases and hospitalizations continues to decrease, we are still experiencing high average daily case rates and a continued focus on preventing transmission is important.

He continues, “Ledge Light Health District advises all businesses and community members take direct steps to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission in your business, home, and place of work. We encourage all businesses within our communities to adopt masking policies for employees and customers, regardless of vaccination status.”

Finally, he states, “LLHD continues to focus our vaccination efforts on homebound populations and providing initial vaccinations and boosters to individuals who were vaccinated previously. Information about vaccination opportunities can be found at https://llhd.org/coronavirus-covid-19-situation/covid-19-vaccine/.”

COVID testing opportunities can be found at COVID-19 Testing | Ledge Light Health District (llhd.org)

The following link provides centralized access to Connecticut COVID data: https://data.ct.gov/stories/s/COVID-19-data/wa3g-tfvc/

The next Ledge Light update is due Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022.

Lyme-Old Lyme Schools Update

Under new state protocols for schools, Lyme-Old Lyme (LOL) Schools are no longer required to carry out contact tracing , but LOL Schools Superintendent Ian Neviaser said in a Jan. 4 email to the school community that he, “… will continue to notify the school community of any positive cases of COVID-19 that impact the schools.”

A full listing of all LOL Schools-related cases during 2022 is given below. On Tuesday, Feb. 8, no new cases were reported in LOL Schools.

Lyme-Old Lyme Schools closed Dec. 23, 2021 and reopened Monday, Jan. 3, 2022 after the winter break meaning no new cases were reported by the schools during that period. We are no longer including positive cases impacting LOL schools between Aug 26, 2021 (the first day of the 2021-22 academic school year) and Dec. 23, 2021 (the last day of school before winter break began), in this report. During that period contact tracing was still required.

View the full listing of cases during that period (8/26/21 – 12/23/21) at this link.

The listing below is the latest information that we have with the most recent cases first — there may have been further updates, however, which we have not yet received.

The following abbreviations are used in the list below: LOLHS: Lyme-Old Lyme High School, LOLMS: Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School, CS: MC: Mile Creek School, and Center School Pre-Kindergarten.

Tuesday, Feb. 8
Total: 0

Monday, Feb. 7
Total: 3,
Lyme: 1, MC: 1, CS: 1

Sunday, Feb. 6
Total: 2,
LOLMS: 1, MC: 1

Friday, Feb. 4
Total: 5,
LOLHS: 2, LOLMS: 1, MC: 2

Thursday, Feb. 3
Total: 1,
Lyme: 1

Wednesday, Feb. 2
Total: 3,
MC: 3

Tuesday, Feb. 1
Total: 1,
MC: 1

Monday, Jan. 31
Total: 2,
LOLMS: 1, Lyme: 1

Sunday, Jan. 30
Total: 1,
Lyme: 1

Friday, Jan. 28
Total: 3,
LOLHS: 1, LOLMS: 1, MC: 1

Thursday, Jan. 27
Total: 3,
LOLHS: 1, Lyme: 2

Wednesday, Jan. 26
Total: 3,
LOLHS: 1, MC: 2

Tuesday, Jan. 25
Total: 4, LOLMS: 2, MC: 2

Monday, Jan. 24
Total: 9, LOLHS: 2, LOLMS: 1, Lyme: 1, MC: 4, CS: 1

Sunday, Jan. 23
Total: 3, LOLMS: 1, Lyme: 2

Friday, Jan. 21
Total: 8, LOLHS: 4, LOLMS: 2, MC: 2

Thursday, Jan. 20
Total: 5,
LOLMS: 1, MC: 1, Lyme: 3

Wednesday, Jan.19
Total: 7,
LOLHS: 2, LOLMS: 4, CS: 1

Tuesday, Jan. 18
Total: 7,
LOLHS: 3, LOLMS: 2, MC: 2

Monday, Jan. 17
Total: 6,
Lyme: 4, MC: 2

Friday, Jan. 14
Total: 3,
MC: 2, LOLHS: 1

Wednesday, Jan. 12
Total: 3,
MC: 2, LOLMS: 1

Monday, Jan. 10
Total: 3,
CS: 1, Lyme: 2

Sunday, Jan. 9
Total: 2,
MC: 1, Lyme: 1

Friday, Jan. 7
Total: 1,
MC: 1

Thursday, Jan. 6
Total: 7, LOLHS: 5, Lyme: 1, CS: 1

Wednesday, Jan. 5
Total: 14, LOLHS: 6, MC: 1, Lyme: 3, CS: 4

Tuesday, Jan. 4
Total: 5,
LOLHS: 4, CS: 1

A la Carte: A Soup for Snow? Try This Intriguing Sweet Potato-Coconut Soup

Lee White

What do you do on a Sunday when there is nearly three feet of snow on your front door? Obviously, the meteorologists were right this time …

Is there enough food in my house to keep me a day or two from starvation?

Sure, there is.

But what would I be in the mood for?

Yes, my friends, I had stocked up on produce with what I wanted to cook: three different soups. I also made tiramisu on Sunday, just because I happened to have mascarpone in the refrigerator and, while milk chocolate was not in any supermarket, I have some Ghirardelli cocoa mix in the pantry, too.

Amid all the produce, I bought a sweet potato bigger than my shoe size, a seven. Tonight, I am making a soup to finish up the coconut milk I used yesterday. You may, as I did, forget the parsley relish, since I am out of fresh parsley.

Sweet Potato-Coconut Soup with Spice Relish

Adapted from a recipe by Bobby Flay in September 12, 2010 issue of Parade magazine
Yield: 4 to 6 portions

Spicy Relish
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
pinch of red-pepper flakes
½ small sweet potato, peeled and cut into a small dice
salt and pepper to taste
¼ cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Sweet Potato-Coconut Soup
1 ½ tablespoons canola oil
1 small red onion, chopped
2-inch piece of fresh ginger, grated (ginger gums up your Microplane; cut in tiny dice instead)
pinch of red-pepper flakes
3 cups homemade chicken stock (out of my own, I used the store-bought, low-sodium broth)
½ cup water
1 ½ pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into large dice
1 ½ cups unsweetened coconut milk
1 tablespoon honey
large pinch of ground cinnamon

For relish, heat oil and butter over medium heat. Add red-pepper flakes; heat for 10 seconds. Add diced sweet potato, salt and pepper to taste. Cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until softened, 15 minutes. Uncover, increase heat to high and cook until diced potatoes are golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and stir in parsley.

For soup, heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and ginger; cook until soft, 5 minutes. Add red-pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds. Add stock and water, bring to a boil. Add sweet potatoes, bring to a simmer. Cook until potatoes are soft, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool for 20 to 25 minutes.

Transfer mixture to a blender and process until smooth. Return to saucepan; simmer over low heat. Whisk in coconut milk, honey and cinnamon. Cook until thickened and warmed through. Season with salt and pepper.

Ladle into bowls, top with a spoonful of a spicy relish.

About the author: Lee White has been writing about restaurants and cooking since 1976 and has been extensively published in the Worcester (Mass.) Magazine, The Day, Norwich Bulletin, and Hartford Courant. She currently writes Nibbles and a cooking column called A La Carte for LymeLine.com and the Shore Publishing and the Times newspapers, both of which are owned by The Day. She was a resident of Old Lyme for many years but now lives in Groton, Conn. Contact Lee at leeawhite@aol.com.