COVID-19 cases drop in Wallingford, as town prepares for flu season
WALLINGFORD — Reported cases of COVID-19 dropped significantly among local nursing home residents over the summer months, according to the town health department.
The illness caused by the novel coronavirus ripped through nursing homes statewide earlier this year. In Wallingford, 68 out of 70 total reported COVID-19-related deaths occurred at nursing homes and long-term care facilities.
No COVID-19-related deaths have been reported in Wallingford since the week of July 9, and the number of confirmed cases at local nursing homes has dropped significantly.
In June, there were 24 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Wallingford, with just one case at a nursing home. No cases were reported at nursing homes in July and August.
In July, 18 local cases of COVID-19 were reported, and in August that dropped to 16 cases.
Since March, 519 town residents have tested positive for COVID-19, with 227 cases in nursing homes and 292 in the community.
During the course of the pandemic, 8,578 individuals in Wallingford have been tested for COVID-19, or 19 percent of the town’s total population of about 45,000.
Of the town’s total population, 1.15 percent have tested positive for COVID-19.
There have been 17,886 COVID-19 tests conducted that came back negative. Some people, such as health care workers, have been tested multiple times.
The seven-day rolling average for Wallingford, based on the current population, is .42 cases of COVID-19 per day for the week ending Aug. 30. At the peak of community cases in April, the average was 4.35.
While Wallingford’s COVID-19 numbers are holding steady, health care providers are gearing up for flu season.
The town Health Department and VNA Community Healthcare are coordinating a drive-thru flu shot clinic scheduled for 9:30 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Oct. 17, at the Wallingford Public Library.
According to information from the Health Department, vaccines are preservative-free and administered by licensed and experienced nurses.
The clinic is slated to be held in the library parking lot. Cars would enter from North Main Street and exit onto North Whittlesey Avenue.
Participating insurances include Medicare Part B, Aetna Medicare, Anthem BCBS Medicare and Connecticare VIP for those 65 years or older, and Aetna, Anthem BCBS, Connecticare and Harvard Pilgrim Health for those 18 years and older.
Cigna and United Healthcare are not participating. Private pay is $46 per vaccine.
Pre-registration is required online at www.connecticuthomecare.org/flu. The clinic is open to non-Wallingford residents.
A Zoom webinar is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Sept. 17 for those interested in learning more about the drive-thru clinics and how to protect against the flu and COVID-19 during the upcoming flu season.
To register for the Zoom event, call 866-474-5230 or email [email protected].
[email protected]: @LCTakores
