Three Greenwich residents died last week from Covid-19, according to Greenwich First Selectmen, who shared the news during his weekly Covid press conference held jointly with leaders from Greenwich Hospital.
The three deaths last week brought the total number of deaths to 93.
While the deaths are disappointing, Camillo said that active cases had declined 16 from 68 to 52 in the past week. The number of people fully vaccinated was 79.3% and 85.67% had received at least one shot.
Since March 2020 there have been 5,757 Covid cases in town.
Camillo said most town departments had high vaccination rates, ranging from 70% to 90%.
He explained there was no hard deadline for town employees to be vaccinated.
“We’re still trying to determine that. If we determine that all in all in the aggregate we’re at 90%, that begs the question are we at herd immunity in that little universe? We were going to do a weekly testing for those who didn’t want to get vaccinated, but these numbers are suggesting we may not have to do that. We are telling people to wear a mask in a town building. That’s all we can ask.”
Greenwich Hospital president Diane Kelly reported that as of Wednesday there were four Covid positive patients being treated. One of the four was in the ICU on a ventilator.
Two of the four patients had been vaccinated.
She said that across the across the Yale New Haven Health System, 58 Covid positive patients were being treated on Wednesday, which was down from 73 the previous week.
Ms Kelly said the hospital continues its efforts to have staff vaccinated.
The mandatory vaccine deadline for employees to get their first shot is Friday, Oct 1. Failure to get vaccinated will result in termination.
As of Wednesday afternoon she said there 30 employees remained unvaccinated out of 1,878, though that number included physicians who are on call but not be employed by the hospital. Also, she said 40 people had received exemptions. Those staff members will be tested weekly for Covid.
“They have until tomorrow to get their first vaccine, and we’ve already started that Human Resource process so that may nudge people in that direction,” Kelly said. “They’ll receive their first warning this week followed by a second warning.”
“This is a road to termination,” she said. “Your third warning is your final. We hope we don’t get there with anybody.”
On Tuesday Greenwich Hospital announced the had begun taking appointments for third dose and booster shots of the Pfizer vaccine, which will be available in the hospital starting Oct 2. Appointments can be made online for those eligible.
“We are requiring people wear their masks upon entering the hospital, and it will be in the Noble Conference room, so as people are coming in through the front door they take an immediate left and don’t have to go into the patient care areas,” she explained.
Ms Kelly said those eligible for boosters included long term care residents and those 65+, as well as18-64 with underlying conditions, and those 18+ for increased high risk for Covid exposure, which she said was typically healthcare workers in different settings.
“If the booster is available to me and I meet one of these criteria I would go ahead and get it,” Kelly said. “I see no reason not to and I see all the reasons for the benefit.”
Booster doses can be given six months after initial vaccine series. An explanation on the differences between a third dose and a booster can be found here. Those who received J&J or Moderna are not yet eligible for a booster.
All vaccinations are by appointment only and can be made on the YNHHS website: www.ynhhs.org/covidvaccine.