As of today, 15,584 Connecticut residents have tested positive for COIVD-19, up 1,129 from yesterday. 1,926 state residents have been hospitalized by the virus (+18 from yesterday) and 971 Connecticut citizens have died from coronavirus (another 103 since just yesterday). State and private labs have conducted 53,122 tests – an additional 2,979 from yesterday.

For a town-by-town breakdown and other COVID-19 statistics, please visit: https://portal.ct.gov/Coronavirus

Protecting Yourself Against COVID-19 Scams
This week, I learned something unsettling: someone attempted to impersonate me on social media. I received reports from my followers that several accounts using pictures of me with similar names to mine privately contacted them, pretending to be me, and attempted to commit fraud against them. I would like to remind my followers that it is best to contact me through my page on the Connecticut Senate Democrats website and that my social media pages do not accept message requests. If any future fraud attempts are found, please report them to me through my email.

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, the Federal Communications Commission and Federal Trade Commission are receiving increasing reports of scams targeting the public, seeking to prey on consumers in these difficult times. The FCC has received reports of scam and hoax text messages and robocalls advertising anything from free home testing kits and false “cures” for COVID-19 to selling health insurance and other plots to prey on virus-related fears. The FCC says do not click on links in texts related to the virus sent by individuals you do not know.

Additionally, some scams are impersonating government agencies with various intents from offering nonexistent relief funding to those impacted by COVID-19 to false efforts to deprive individuals of their economic stimulus checks or unemployment benefits. Unsolicited emails, texts or calls are likely phishing attempts to obtain the target’s banking or personal information to support further fraud.

Organizations like the World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Food and Drug Administration have reported individuals are sending false emails claiming to be from those groups to commit fraud. Be wary of any contact claiming to be from such a group asking for account information or for money. Additionally, robocalls have increasingly attempted to target small businesses and individuals with scams ranging from nonexistent loans to false claims of work-from-home possibilities.

Officials advise following these tips to protect yourself:

  • Do not respond to calls or texts from unknown numbers or ones that have suspicious origins.
  • Never share personal or financial information via email, text message or phone call.
  • Be cautious if pressured to share information or make immediate payments.
  • Government agencies will never call to ask for personal information or money.
  • Do not click text message links sent from any unusual sources.
  • Always research charities before donating.

For more information, please click here.

Healthcare Enrollment Period Ends Tomorrow!

Individuals who are uninsured and would like to sign up for health insurance through Access Health CT have only until tomorrow, Friday, April 17 before the extended, COVID-19 special enrollment period ends. Please call 855-365-2428 to sign up for affordable, comprehensive health care coverage.

Exercising While Staying Home and Staying Safe
Staying home and staying safe amid the COVID-19 pandemic has complicated many parts of our lives. The closing of gyms and limitations on outdoor exercise amid social distancing, especially for individuals living in apartments, have probably caused significant interruptions in workout plans. There are still ways to get exercise at home, though, and many of them are great for keeping healthy both mentally and physically. Here are some tips on how to work out safely.

Aerobics and Simple Exercises
Sure, the gym is closed and not all of us have treadmills, but there are still plenty of great ways to exercise at home. Simple aerobic exercises like jumping jacks can keep your heart rate up and help burn calories to stop you from being a couch potato. Even simply putting a line of tape on the ground and jumping over it, alternating periods of jumping and rest every minute, can be a great aerobic exercise to stretch your muscles and get blood pumping!

Yoga
Even if you don’t have floor mats or other equipment, yoga can be a very effective exercise routine. By focusing on your body, whether by following online video routines or simply attempting different poses on your own, you can not only get important exercise but meditate, helping improve your mind and body at the same time.

Bodyweight Routines
No weight racks or barbells? No problem! Push-ups, sit-ups, planking, lunges, press-ups, wall-sits and squats – to name just a few – are all simple and effective bodyweight routines that can help you retain, or even gain, muscle that will go a long way in keeping you healthy.