Tolland County Vaults To Coronavirus 'High Transmission' Status

TOLLAND COUNTY, CT — The federal Centers for Disease Control has placed Tolland County in the "high transmission" category of the coronavirus, Connecticut Department of Pubic Health officials said Monday.

Tolland is the seventh county in the state to be upgraded to the high transmission category. Fairfield, Hartford, Litchfield, New Haven, New London and Middlesex Counties also are listed as high transmission areas. Windham is the only county in the state still classified by the CDC as being in the substantial transmission category. Late last week, Litchfield and Middlesex counties were upgraded to high transmission areas.

The high transmission category — which is the most severe as defined by the CDC — is 100 or more cases per 100,000 people or a positivity rate of 10 percent or higher over the past seven days. The substantial transmission category is 50 to 100 cases per 100,000, or a positivity rate between 8 and 10 percent over the past seven days.

"With the ongoing rapid increase in cases of COVID-19 in the state due to the spread of the Delta variant, the Connecticut Department of Public Health strongly recommends that all Connecticut residents over age 2 years, whether vaccinated or unvaccinated, return to wearing masks when in indoor public spaces," according to a statement accompanying the announcement.

Vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals at high risk for complications from the virus, including those with compromised immune systems, diabetes, asthma, other lung diseases, pregnancy or obesity, should also avoid large indoor gatherings that may include a mix of vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals, health officials said.

Vaccination "remains the most important defense against illness and hospitalization from COVID-19," state health officials said. They added so-called "vaccine breakthrough" cases have occurred in Connecticut, but they "remain rare," and said, "the vast majority of hospitalizations and deaths in Connecticut and around the country are in unvaccinated individuals."

DPH officials said the agency, "strongly recommends that unvaccinated individuals get vaccinated as soon as possible to help stop the ongoing spread of the Delta variant."