Norwich vaccination rate jumps as COVID-19 rate slightly drops

A total of 2,321 COVID-19 tests among Norwich residents yielded 151 newly confirmed infections between Aug. 15 and Aug. 28, according to data provided by the state’s Department of Public Health this week.

Over the same time period, the city’s average daily COVID-19 case rate dropped to 27.8 after being recorded at 32.4 over the prior two-week period.

The new caseload for Norwich accounted for 40.2% of all cases reported in the Uncas Health District.

As of Sept. 2, the state reported 55 Norwich residents deceased as a result of the coronavirus; an increase of one death from the previous data released by the state on Aug. 26.

The total number of deaths recorded in Norwich as a result of COVID-19 accounts for 15.4% of the 355 deaths registered for New London County.

Statewide, 39 new COVID-associated deaths were recorded Sept. 2, along with 684 new cases and a daily positivity rate of 2.99% – the rate a reprieve from recent weeks where the daily positivity rate regularly stood above 3 percent.

The city and surrounding municipalities remain ranked by the state’s Dept. of Public Health as "high risk" for COVID transmissions.

Day Kimball Healthcare announced Thursday it is requiring all members of its workforce to receive at least their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine by Nov. 1.

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The requirement aligns with the Connecticut Hospital Association’s (CHA) statewide commitment by Connecticut’s hospitals, announced in June, endorsing mandatory COVID-19 vaccination for hospital and health system employees and clinical staff, according to a press release.

The healthcare provider's order comes after a state order requiring public employees and teachers in Connecticut to be vaccinated.

At 59.2%, Norwich’s percentage of fully vaccinated individuals as of Thursday hovers above the national rate of 52.7%, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, CDC.

On Aug. 11, the vaccination rate in Norwich stood at 55.7%.

Across Connecticut, the CDC pegs the vaccination rate at 66.2%, with almost 74% of the population having received one dose as of Sept. 2.