Mansfield COVID-19 Homepage

Updated on 3/26/2020 at 7:52pm

State of CT COVID-19 Update March 26, 2020

As of March 26, 2020, a total of 1,021 laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been reported among Connecticut residents. Cases have been reported in all 8 Connecticut counties. One hundred and twenty-five patients were hospitalized, and 21 residents have died (13 in Fairfield County, 3 in Tolland County, 2 in Hartford County, 2 in New Haven County and 1 in Middlesex County).

Confirmed Cases of COVID-19 in Connecticut As of 3/26/2020 1:30PM. Includes patients tested at the State Public Health Laboratory, Hospital, and Commercial Laboratories

Updated on 3/25/2020 at 1:21pm

Frequently Asked Questions and Latest Testing Data in Connecticut

A detailed listing of Frequently Asked Questions on the State of Connecticut’s actions related to COVID-19 and a daily report showing the Latest Testing Data in Connecticut can be found on the State’s website:  

https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/Coronavirus/COVID-19-FAQs.pdf?la=en (FAQ’s Link)

https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/Coronavirus/CTDPHCOVID19summary3242020.pdf?la=en (Latest Testing Data Link)

Updated on 3/24/2020 at 1:54pm

Volunteer for Local Medical Reserve to Respond to COVID

Recruitment opportunity:  The Region 4 Medical Aid Station Team is looking for additional members.   

The Medical Reserve Corps (MRC), headquartered in the Office of the US Surgeon General, is a nationally recognized program composed of local units across the country. The MRC units are comprised of both medical and non-medical volunteers who will support their communities during emergencies and participate in activities that strengthen local public health infrastructure. 

MRC Volunteers train - individually and with other members of the unit - in order to improve their skills, knowledge and abilities. Sometimes the training is online coursework, and other times it is part of a drill or exercise conducted with partner organizations in the community. Continuing education units and credits are even available for some programs.

Many MRC volunteers assist with activities to improve public health in their community – increasing health literacy, supporting prevention efforts and eliminating health disparities.

In an emergency, local resources get called upon first, sometimes with little or no warning. 

As a member of an MRC unit, you can be part of an organized and trained team. You will be ready and able to bolster local emergency planning and response capabilities.

The specific role that you will play, and the activities in which you will participate, will depend upon your background, interests and skills, as well as the needs of the MRC unit.             

Tasks that will be assigned in response to an emergency could include:

• Dispensing of medications for first responders 
• Dispensing of medications to the general public
• Screening medical forms for contradictions 
• Counseling patients
• Medical Assisting
• Greeters 
• Clerical work 
• Handing out forms 
• Volunteer Management 
• Directing vehicle traffic 
• Patient Guides and Flow Controllers 
• Logistics and Medical Supplies Management 
• Medical screening 

 If you are interested in joining the Eastern Highlands Medical Reserve Corps, please  Complete this online application to sign up.  You may also download the application here.  If you have questions, please call us at 860-429-3325.  

 Completed forms can be mailed to:

Cecile Serazo, RN, BSN 

Community Health and Wellness Coordinator

Eastern Highlands Health District,

4 South Eagleville Rd Mansfield, CT 06268 

Or faxed to 860-429-3321 

Or emailed to serazocc@ehhd.org

Updated at 12:28pm on 3/23/2020

Governor Lamont orders all non-essential businesses closed starting Monday, March 23^rd. 

Governor Ned Lamont issued a shelter in place order for all 3.5 million Connecticut residents beginning March 23 at 8pm. Much like the orders impacting California, Illinois, and New York, residents are only permitted to leave their homes to obtain healthcare, food, or provide services deemed "essential" by the state. All non-essential group gatherings of any size are prohibited, and individuals leaving their homes to obtain essential services are not permitted to travel in groups, and recommended to limit their use of public transportation. Residents may only engage in outdoor recreational activities like walking, hiking, or exercising so long as they can maintain a distance of at least 6 feet from others.

Visit the Governor’s website for more information about the Executive order:

https://portal.ct.gov/Office-of-the-Governor/News/Press-Releases/2020/03-2020/Governor-Lamont-Signs-Executive-Order-Asking-Connecticut-Businesses-and-Residents-Stay-Safe

Updated at 9:00am on 3/23/2020

Beware of COVID-19 Related E-Mail, Phone, and Website Scams

Unfortunately there are some individuals attempting scams related to the COVID-19 situation. These are being sent via email, phone, and websites, including in Mansfield as well. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has issues the following guidelines specific to COVID-19 scams (and is good advice all the time as well!)

• Use known reputable websites for COVID-19 information (this way you initiate the contact to a known site). For example, the State of Connecticut’s official portal at https://portal.ct.gov/coronavirus; the Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention portal at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus; or our region’s Eastern Highland’s Health District homepage at http://www.ehhd.org.
• Watch for emails claiming to be from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or experts saying they have information about the virus; many of these include links to scams. For the most up-to-date and accurate information, go directly to known reputable websites (such as the examples noted above).
• Do not click on links from sources that you do not know. These could download viruses onto your computer or device.
• Delete online offers for vaccinations. There currently (as of 3/23/2020) are no vaccines, pills, potions, lotions, lozenges or other prescription or over-the-counter products available to cure COVID-19: online or in stores.
• Do your homework when it comes to donations, whether through charities or crowdfunding sites. Don’t let anyone rush you into making a donation. If someone wants donations in cash, by gift card, or by wiring money, don’t do it.

Regularly updated information at avoiding scams at: https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/features/coronavirus-scams-what-ftc-doing

Updated at 1:29pm on 3/19/20

Mail and COVID-19

The CDC , the World Health Organization and the Surgeon General have indicated that there is currently no evidence that COVID-19 is being spread through the mail.

https://about.usps.com/newsroom/service-alerts/

To avoid unnecessary contact. Gloves can be worn to minimize direct hand contact. If gloves are not worn, use proper handwashing after contact.

Updated at 9:13am on 3/19/2020

Mansfield Restaurants Offering Take-out & Delivery

As part of the statewide efforts to mitigate the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), Connecticut restaurants are temporarily limited to take-out and delivery service only. Mansfield restaurants are complying with the order. Many have expanded delivery and take-out options as well as amended hours. 

The Mansfield Downtown Partnership has created a list of restaurants and food service operations in town that are offering take-out and delivery options. The list will be updated each weekday for the foreseeable future and can be found here: downtownstorrs.org/dine/togo.

Businesses who would like to be listed are asked to submit their information via the form found below the list.

This is a difficult time for small businesses everywhere. Consider purchasing gift cards now from your favorite restaurants and shops for future use. Any support you can lend will be very much appreciated!

Updated at 2:27pm on 3/17/2020

Town of Mansfield Locations with Free Outdoor Internet WiFi

The following Municipal/School locations offer free outdoor Internet WiFi access. As these buildings are currently closed to the public, the access is available outside. The name of the wireless is MnsfldGuest unless otherwise noted below.

Mansfield Public Library: 54 Warrenville Road

• Outdoor WiFi Access is available in the parking lot adjacent to the building (the parking lot on the side of the building that has the public entrance).

 Mansfield Middle School: 205 Spring Hill Road

• Outdoor WiFi Access is available in the parking lot adjacent to the gymnasium.

 Mansfield Town Hall: 4 South Eagleville Road

• Outdoor WiFi Access is available in all of the parking lots adjacent to the building.

 E.O. Smith High School: 1235 Storrs Road (this wireless is called EOSGuest)

• Outdoor WiFi Access is available in the parking lot on the left side of the building.

 Mansfield Community Center: 10 South Eagleville Road

• Outdoor WiFi Access is available in the parking lot both in front of the building and in the parking lot adjacent to the gymnasium.

Additionally, Charter/Spectrum Cable (the cable franchise that includes Mansfield) has announced some initiatives to support access during the COVID-19 situation. Starting later this month, they will be providing free outdoor WiFi Internet access points in our region (will not require a subscription to Charter/Spectrum). Later this month, they will list these locations at https://www.spectrum.com/wifi-hotspots for anyone in the community. Further, Charter/Spectrum is offering free 60-day home Internet and Wi-Fi service for households with K-12 and/or college students who do not already have Charter/Spectrum Internet service. There will be no installation fees, no ongoing fees, and families can choose to discontinue the service at the end of the 60 day period at no cost. To access this offer, families can call call 1-844-488-8395. When prompted, choose the option for "new service". When the service representative answers, explain that you are requesting the 60 day free at home Internet access for households with students.

Updated at 4:40pm on 3/16/2020

CHANGES TO PZC and IWA MEETING PROCEDURES DUE TO COVID-19

In accordance with Governor Lamont’s Executive Order 7B and social distancing guidelines recommended by the CDC to prevent community spread of COVID-19, members of the IWA and PZC with the exception of the Chair will be participating in their meetings this evening (3/16/2020) via telephone. Members of the public may submit comments in writing, call-in using the instructions below, or attend the meeting in person to speak on public hearing items. Per normal meeting procedures, public comment will only be accepted during scheduled public hearings. The Town will do its best to provide for physical separation between meeting attendees as recommended by the CDC.

Members of the public that are not planning to comment during the public hearing portion of the meeting are encouraged to watch the meeting using the meeting broadcast information provided below.

Meeting Broadcast

The meeting is broadcast on Charter Cable Channel 191 and can also be live-streamed at https://townhallstreams.com/towns/mansfield_ct. Meeting recordings are available for 12 months after the meeting.

Call-In Instructions

Step 1: Go to a quiet space.

Step 2: Starting at 6:15, you will be able to call into to the following number: (571) 317-3122 from any phone

Step 3: When prompted, the access code is: 969-633-685

Step 4: The system will ask you to enter an audio pin or press #, press #

Step 5: If you are using a phone with a mute function, please use this when you are just listening and not speaking to reduce background noise

Public Hearings

The meeting will be open to any members of the public wishing to comment on public hearing items. In addition to in-person and call-in participation, public comment on public hearing items can also be submitted via email to planzonedept@mansfieldct.org. Email communications must be submitted by 4:30 p.m. on the day of the meeting to ensure that staff has time to add them to the digital meeting packet available at the link posted above. During public hearings, the Chair will call first on staff, the applicant, and then individual members before opening the hearing to public comments. He will ask if there are any members of the public wishing to speak first in support of the application, and then in opposition to the application. Please identify yourself by name, and if there is more than one person, wait for the Chair to call on you before speaking.

Updated at 3:14pm on 3/16/2020

Today I declared a Public Health and Civil Preparedness Emergency for the Town of Mansfield.

All schools, the senior center, the library and the community center are closed to the public.

Beginning tomorrow the Town Hall will be closed to the public. Please use the telephone or email to communicate with staff.

The Town Council will conduct an emergency meeting on Wednesday – time is not yet determined.

Please remain calm during this crisis and practice safe distancing to prevent the spread of this virus. 

John C. Carrington, PE

Interim Town Manager

Updated at 11:11am on 3/13/2020

The following facilities will be closed until at least March 27, 2020, starting on these dates:

Public Library (Public Library Notice)

Senior Center (Senior Center Notice)

Mansfield Community Center and Parks and Recreation programs (Parks & Recreation Notice)

 All Public Schools (Mansfield Schools Notice; and Region 19 Schools Notice)

The Town Hall and other facilities will remain open and operational. We ask that you avoid visiting the Town Hall unless absolutely necessary. Please call, email, or pay your bill using the postal service or on-line. 

We are taking these measures to:

•    Protect the Healthcare System

•    Protect the Elderly

•    Protect the Public

We will be evaluating all public meetings and cancelling or postponing those that are not necessary.

We will use our COVID19 Homepage (https://MansfieldCT.gov/COVID19) and our other methods of communication to share ongoing information. We encourage you to check that page regularly, as there will be further updates as matters develop.

Updated at 9:30pm on 3/12/2020

The Town of Mansfield is currently conducting normal operations, but there are some restrictions on certain activities.

The Mansfield Schools and Regional School District 19 have announced a 2 week closing starting on Monday, 3/16/2020.

• Mansfield Schools’ Closing Announcement
• Regional School District 19’s Closing Announcement

We know many of you are rightfully concerned or anxious over Coronavirus or COVID-19. Town and Schools staff are making plans for whatever the future may bring us. We are meeting often, as well as developing and implementing courses of action.

We will use this page (https://MansfieldCT.gov/COVID19) and our other methods of communication to share ongoing information. We encourage you to check this page regularly as there will be further updates as matters develop.

Prepare! Don’t Panic over COVID-19.

1. Clean your hands.
   Washing your hands often will help protect you from germs. If soap & water aren’t available, use an alcohol-based hand rub.
2. Avoid touching your eyes , nose or mouth.
   Germs are spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches their eyes, nose, or mouth.
3. Stay home when you are sick.
   If possible, stay home from work, school, and errands when you are sick. This will help prevent spreading your illness to others.
4. Avoid close contact.
   Avoid close contact with people who are sick. When you are sick, keep your distance from others to protect them from getting sick too.
5. Cover your mouth and nose.
   Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. Throw tissues in the trash. If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your elbow or your sleeve.
6. Practice good health habits.
   Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces. Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage stress, drink plenty of fluids, & eat nutritious food.
7. Always be prepared with extra food and medications.
   In case you cannot get leave your home due to illness or disaster.
8. Stay Informed.
   Get information from reputable sources such as the Center for Disease Control (CDC), CT DPH, or Eastern Highlands Health District (www.EHHD.org).

We encourage you to visit the Eastern Highlands Health District’s homepage at http://www.ehhd.org as well for COVID-19 information.