The end of the long-running COVID public health emergency in Connecticut has brought changes in daily reporting on cases and hospitalizations, the conclusion of state-run testing sites that have been a hallmark of efforts to curb the virus’ spread, the rollback of vaccination programs and modifications in how testing and treatments are covered.
[READ MORE: CT's COVID public health emergency is ending. What will change?]
One significant change is how COVID data for the state will be reported going forward.
For years, Connecticut had been posting daily COVID statistics, including the positivity rate and number of hospitalizations. But the updates ceased on June 1. Now, the state will issue information about case rates, hospitalizations and deaths only from October to late May or early June.
The next reporting period is scheduled to begin on Oct. 5. At that point, COVID data will be reported on a weekly basis, rather than daily.
However, the health department will continue to collect and analyze COVID data, even though it is not publicly posting it during the next four months, explained Dr. Manisha Juthani, Connecticut's public health commissioner.
The role of the Department of Public Health moving forward will primarily be alerting people if there is "surge" coming, she said.
With the rise of home rapid tests, a dwindling number of people have been getting PCR tests, a fact that was reflected in the state’s positivity rate. Juthani said the state's daily statistics were an underestimate despite being reported daily, due to the prevalence of self testing nowadays.
Read more: The COVID emergency is over in CT. Here’s the latest on risk and more