More than 13,500 people contracted COVID-19 in Connecticut between Aug. 1 and Oct. 5, according to the most recent state data, and 1,753 people were hospitalized and 109 have died.
Data from last year serves as a signpost for how the COVID-19 virus is expected to affect the population this year, said Dr. Manisha Juthani, commissioner of the Department of Public Health.
“Seventy percent of people who were hospitalized for COVID were age 65 and older, and 88% of hospitalized adults had not received the most updated COVID vaccine,” she said.
Juthani said people who contracted COVID-19 in the summer can wait for three months before getting their booster. There are three options currently available: Pfizer, Moderna and Novavax.
She also encouraged older adults who contract COVID-19 to seek treatment and call their provider about Paxlovid or molnupiravir.
“The thing that I want to drive home is that we’ve got our greatest number of cases in the 60 to 69, 70 to 79 and 80-plus age groups in terms of hospitalizations,” Juthani said. “And then if we look at COVID deaths, the greatest number of deaths are in our 80 plus age group.”
The respiratory viruses COVID-19, flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) circulate during colder months.
Officials are encouraging residents to get their updated shots before the holiday season begins.
Unlike COVID-19 and the flu, immunization against RSV is a one-time shot and not seasonal, even though the virus peaks seasonally.
Between Aug. 1 and Oct. 5, there were 193 cases of flu in Connecticut with 14 hospitalizations, and 140 cases of RSV with no hospitalizations reported, according to state data.
The department is currently testing for COVID-19 in wastewater. Juthani says there are plans to test for other viruses as the season progresses.
This story was first published Oct. 8, 2024 by Connecticut Public.