Data shows Connecticut is succeeding in slowing the spread of COVID-19, even as cases of the virus spike in other states.
Governor Ned Lamont tweeted data this week that shows the state with the lowest COVID-19 growth rate in the country by far.
Connecticut is ranked best in the nation in COVID-19 growth rate.
— Governor Ned Lamont (@GovNedLamont) July 7, 2020
Let's keep wearing masks. Let's keep getting tested. Let's look out for one another.
The way we're going to keep these numbers low is by working together.
Source: https://t.co/4paNMCiqpn#ConnecticutRespect pic.twitter.com/HgNpdgq2Dj
Howard Forman, with the Yale School of Public Health, says Connecticut’s leaders get to take some credit for the state’s success.
“They have been very consistent in their messaging, so that masking is the rule of the state and there’s actually compliance with it in most areas. You know, most of the policies put in place have been very effective with compliance.”
But Norman says Connecticut residents also learned hard lessons from the state’s time near the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic this spring in New York.
“You know, Connecticut also had a very bad outbreak, and it was very obvious how bad it was. And that instills fear in people. So even without government edicts, people tend to be more afraid of doing risky things.”
Connecticut is one of seven states where spread has slowed, along with the District of Columbia. Most of the rest are also in New England, according to data from The COVID Tracking Project.
