Monthly Archives: February 2022

Feb. 17 Daily COVID-19 Update: 90.5% of State Remains in Case Rate Red Zone; Three New Cases in Old Lyme Take Cumulative Case Total to 1016, One New Case in Lyme Takes Town Total to 252

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This map, updated Feb.17, 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, in which 90.5% of the state is found. 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. 17, 2022, around 4 p.m. by the Connecticut Department of Health(CT DPH) shows three new, confirmed COVID-19 cases in Old Lyme. This increases the cumulative case total for the Town from 1013 on Feb. 16, to 1016. 

One new case was reported in Lyme raising the cumulative total of cases there from 251 on Feb. 16, to 252.

The next Daily Data Report will be issued by the state Friday, Feb. 18, around 4 p.m.

Statewide Situation

The state’s COVID-19 Daily Positivity Rate on Thursday, Feb. 17, fell to 4.71%. This was after falling below 4.0% on Monday, Feb. 14, for the first time since the Omicron strain was detected in the state — Monday’s number was 3.32%.

The number of COVID-related hospitalizations decreased by 15 to 325.

Of those hospitalized, 154 (representing 47.4%) are not fully vaccinated.

The total number of COVID-related deaths in Connecticut increased 10,324.

Statewide Data

In the Feb. 17 COVID Case Rate map above, the total number of towns in the Red (highest) Zone for case rates has fallen by 11 since last week to 153, with 10 towns in the state —Bridgewater, Canaan, Colebrook, Hartland, Morris, Roxbury, Scotland, Sherman, Union, and Warren — now in the Gray (lowest) Zone and six — Bethlehem, Essex, New Fairfield, Sharon, Washington, and Woodbury — in the Orange (lowest but one) Zone.

This number of 153 is equivalent to 90.5% 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 13th 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 11th week in succession.

The CT DPH will issue an updated map of the zones Thursday, Feb. 24 — the map is updated weekly on Thursdays.

The color-coded zones are:

  • Red: Indicates case rates over the last two weeks of greater than 15 per 100,000 population
  • Orange: Indicates case rates between 10 to 14 cases per 100,000 population
  • Yellow: Indicates case rates between 5 and 9 per 100,000 population
  • Gray: Indicates case rates lower than five per 100,000 population

Extracts from the Feb. 17, 2022 CT DPH report

As of Feb. 16, 2022: (the number in parentheses is from Feb. 2, 2022)

  • Number of cases of COVID-19 among fully vaccinated persons in Connecticut: 167,783 (163,170)
  • Number of fully vaccinated persons in Connecticut: 2,640,845 (2,628,772)
  • Percent of fully vaccinated persons, who have contracted COVID-19: 6.35% (6.21%)

For the week beginning Feb.06, 2022: (the number in parentheses is from Jan. 26, 2022)

  • Risk of unvaccinated persons testing positive for COVID-19 as compared to fully vaccinated persons: 3.1 x greater (3.1 x greater)
  • Risk of unvaccinated persons dying from COVID-19 as compared to fully vaccinated persons: 18.1 x greater (15.2% x greater)

Increase in Cases in Lyme & Old Lyme Since August 2021

The cumulative total of confirmed cases for Old Lyme has now increased by 573 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 644 new cases there since that date. Meanwhile, Lyme’s cumulative total on Aug. 26 was 114 indicating 138 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. 17, 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.

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.

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. 17, one new case was 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. 17
Total: 1,  MC: 1

Wednesday, Feb. 16
Total: 6, LOLMS: 3

Monday, Feb. 14
Total: 6, LOLMS: 2, MC: 3, Lyme: 1

Sunday, Feb. 13
Total: 3, LOLMS: 2, MC: 1

Friday, Feb. 11
Total: 2, LOLHS: 1, CS: 1

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

A la Carte: Caramelized Coconut Budino Makes a Luscious Dessert

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Lee White

I am going to a dinner party next Saturday evening in Madison. There may be 12 people. I may have met half of them. Most are flying in to see their daughter and son-in-law in their new house into which they moved just three weeks ago.

The last time I moved, it took me months to unpack boxes, never mind ready to host a dinner party in less than a month. And many of the invitees are flying in from Florida and Pennsylvania and will be staying for a few extra days in their house. I probably wouldn’t have been able to find the boxes of sheets and towels. 

In any case, as I am one of the locals who will be at the dinner party, I told Lisa I would make the dessert. Although the age range of the visitors run from 20 to 80, and assuming no one is lactose-intolerant or on a diet, this gorgeous and luscious dessert will feed 12 and still looks pretty a day or two. It is, in a way, a flan, but the chewy coconut does more than just feel like snowdrops on one’s tongue.

I will also make some little cookies, maybe shortbread, to those who don’t much care for flan.  

Caramelized Coconut Budino
Adapted from More Cooking in the Wine Country by Joanne Weir (Simon and Schuster, New York, 2001)

Yield: Serves 8

2 ½ cups very finely grated sweetened coconut
2 cups sugar, divided
8 eggs
3 cups whole milk
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

Have ready an 8-inch round cake pan and a larger one in which to place the 8-inch cake pan. 

Place coconut on a baking sheet and bake in the oven until light golden, tossing occasionally, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool slightly. Place in food processor and pulse until finely ground. Reserve. Increase oven temperature to 375 degrees.

In a large, heavy stainless-steel frying pan, melt 1 cup of the sugar over medium heat. Do not stir with a spoon; instead, swirl the pan to melt the sugar uniformly. Cook until sugar starts to turn golden brown. Immediate remove the pan from the heat and pour mixture into the 8-inch round cake pan, turning the pan so the caramel coats the bottom and sides. Set it aside.

Whisk eggs together in a bowl. Add the remaining 1 cup of sugar, the milk, coconut and flour and stir together until well mixed.

Pour coconut mixture into the caramel-lined, pan, and place in a larger pan. Pour boiling water into the larger pan to a depth of 1 inch. Bake in the oven until set and a skewer goes into the center and comes out clean, 55 to 65 minutes.

Remove can pan from the larger pan and let it sit for 10 minutes. Then invert the coconut budino onto a serving plate and serve.

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.

Feb. 16 Daily COVID-19 Update: Eight New Cases in Old Lyme Take Cumulative Case Total to 1013, Lyme Holds at 251 for Third Day

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Photo by CDC on Unsplash.

LYME-OLD LYME — The Daily Data Report issued Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2022, around 4 p.m. by the Connecticut Department of Health(CT DPH) shows eight new, confirmed COVID-19 cases in Old Lyme. This increases the cumulative case total for the Town from 1005 to 1013. 

No new cases were reported in Lyme keeping the cumulative total of cases there at 251 for the third day in succession.

The Feb. 15 state report emphasizes, however, “The total number of COVID-19 daily tests reported today includes 2,983 catch-up test results going back to Jan 17, of which 364 (12.2%) were positive.”

The next Daily Data Report will be issued by the state Thursday, Feb. 17, around 4 p.m.

Statewide Situation

The state’s COVID-19 Daily Positivity Rate on Wednesday, Feb. 16, fell to 4.87%. This was after falling below 4.0% on Monday for the first time since the Omicron strain was detected in the state. Monday’s number was 3.32%.

The number of COVID-related hospitalizations decreased by 45 to 340.

Of those hospitalized, 157 (representing 46.2%) are not fully vaccinated.

The total number of COVID-related deaths in Connecticut held at 10,320.

Statewide Data

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 state — Bridgewater, 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 570 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 641 new cases there since that date. Meanwhile, Lyme’s cumulative total on Aug. 26 was 114 indicating 137 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.

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.

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 Wednesday, Feb. 16, three 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.

Wednesday, Feb. 16
Total: 6, LOLMS: 3

Monday, Feb. 14
Total: 6, LOLMS: 2, MC: 3, Lyme: 1

Sunday, Feb. 13
Total: 3, LOLMS: 2, MC: 1

Friday, Feb. 11
Total: 2, LOLHS: 1, CS: 1

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

Feb. 15 Daily COVID-19 Update: Five New Cases in Old Lyme Take Cumulative Case Total to 1005, No New Cases in Lyme Where Total Holds at 251

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Photo by CDC on Unsplash,

LYME-OLD LYME — The Daily Data Report issued Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2022, around 4 p.m. by the Connecticut Department of Health(CT DPH) shows five new, confirmed COVID-19 cases in Old Lyme. This increases the cumulative case total for the Town from 1000 to 1005. 

No new cases were reported in Lyme keeping the cumulative total of cases there at 251.

The Feb. 15 state report emphasizes, however, “The total number of COVID-19 daily tests reported today includes 3,071 catch-up test results going back to September 1, of which 574 (19%) were positive.”

The next Daily Data Report will be issued by the state Wednesday, Feb. 16, around 4 p.m.

Statewide Situation

The state’s COVID-19 Daily Positivity Rate on Tuesday, Feb. 16, rose to 6.1%. This was after falling below 4.0% on Monday for the first time since the Omicron strain was detected in the state. Monday’s number was 3.32%.

The number of COVID-related hospitalizations decreased by 21 to 385.

Of those hospitalized, 173 (representing 44.9%) are not fully vaccinated.

The total number of COVID-related deaths in Connecticut rose to 10,320.

Statewide Data

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 state — Bridgewater, 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 562 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 633 new cases there since that date. Meanwhile, Lyme’s cumulative total on Aug. 26 was 114 indicating 137 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.

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.

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. 15, 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 lists below: LOLHS: Lyme-Old Lyme High School, LOLMS: Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School, CS: MC: Mile Creek School, and Center School Pre-Kindergarten.

Monday, Feb. 14
Total: 6, LOLMS: 2, MC: 3, Lyme: 1

Sunday, Feb. 13
Total: 3, LOLMS: 2, MC: 1

Friday, Feb. 11
Total: 2, LOLHS: 1, CS: 1

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

Death Announced of Jennie A. Rubera; Beloved Teacher in Old Lyme Schools for 37 Years

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Jennie A. Rubera

OLD LYME — Jennie A. Rubera, of Old Lyme, passed away peacefully surrounded by her family at her residence on February 12, 2022.

She was born in Waterbury, the daughter of Angelo and Rose Petraroia and was the wife of the late Joseph A. Rubera.

Mrs. Rubera lived a life of serving others as a nurse and business owner before embarking on a 37-year career as a teacher in the Old Lyme public school system, first at Center School and then at Mile Creek Elementary School.  

Teaching was not just a career it was her passion.  Her years in the classroom were marked by many accomplishments including the study of the Connecticut River and its tributaries, her yearly Broadway East second grade play productions (Bambi: The Musical and Turkey Turkey Tell Me True were among the more memorable), her 1999 State of Connecticut Celebration of Excellence Award for Exemplary Teaching and her Memorial Day Commemoration Program celebrated by her 2nd grade students for 29 years in the small cemetery next to Mile Creek Elementary.

It was for her leadership in that Memorial Day Commemoration that she was nearly featured as ABC World News Tonight with Charles Gibson’s Person of the Week in 2009. ABC News was about to send a news crew to Old Lyme before deciding instead to profile a 107-year-old Army veteran, the last surviving American veteran of World War I.  She and her son in law B.J. Finnell would joke that the first line in her obituary would read: 

Jennie A. Rubera, who was almost ABC World News Tonight with Charles Gibson’s Person of the Week, passed away in Old Lyme, harboring no ill will toward the 107-year-old World War I veteran who edged her out for national recognition of her patriotism and commitment to her students!

She could laugh about it because her patriotism and commitment to her students were unquestioned and she never sought any kind of recognition for her efforts.  Her family always knew the Memorial Day ceremony was held in part to honor her brother Michael, who was killed in action in Germany in February 1945, a loss similar to those suffered by so many American families whose loved ones have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to their country.

Mrs. Rubera retired from teaching in 2011, having left a permanent impact on her colleagues and the hundreds of students who passed through her classroom for nearly four decades. She believed each student could become president of the United States and she asked only that they remembered her when they became famous!

She was a graduate of a two-room schoolhouse in the Bucks Hill section of Waterbury, Wilby High School, the St. Francis Hospital School of Nursing, the University of Connecticut (Bachelor’s Degree of Science) and Southern Connecticut State University (Master’s Degree of Science).  She also spent a summer at Oxford University in England, where she participated in an international program on teaching the gifted child (her philosophy was that every child was gifted and that such programs could be open to all students).

She began her career as a nurse, caring for polio and tuberculosis patients in the Hartford area, even after she and her husband moved to Old Lyme in 1951.  She also served as a Justice of the Peace in Old Lyme since 1981, marrying many couples on Old Lyme beaches, in private homes and in her own living room on Mile Creek Road.

Her colleagues, friends and in particular her family appreciated her enthusiasm, love of travel and  quirky sense of humor. She was known for telling jokes, most of which were told out of order, usually starting with the punchline then working backwards to the set-up.  Her unique approach to these anecdotes was actually funnier than the jokes themselves, adding a unique level of hilarity for which she will always be fondly remembered.

She is survived by her daughters Nancy Rubera of Berlin and Joan Finnell and her husband B.J. of Chester, VT; her sister Angela Brunetti of Prospect; her granddaughters Jennifer DelBiondo, Sarah DelBiondo, Kimberly DelBiondo and Melissa Casso and her husband John; grandsons Nicholas Finnell and Benjamin Finnell; her great grandchildren Madison, Anthony and Peyton Casso; and nieces, nephews and cousins. 

She was predeceased by her parents, her husband, her sister Marie and brother Michael.

There will be no calling hours and burial will be private.  A celebration of her life will be announced at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, and in honor of her dedication to educating the children of Old Lyme, donations in her name can be made to the Lyme Youths Services Bureau at www.lysb.org.  

To share memories of Mrs. Rubera’s extraordinary life and to sign the online guest book, visit www.fultontherouxoldlyme.com.