As of this month, Branford and North Branford have come through a full year of living in a world dominated by COVID-19. The most devastating impact, the loss of loved ones from deaths attributed to the virus, stands at 59 lives lost in Branford and 18 in North Branford as of March 11, among the more than 7,760 people who died statewide.

The stark numbers are among those that have been updated and shared since the start of the pandemic by a department about which many residents likely didn’t know much before March 2020: East Shore District Health Department (ESHDH). For the past 12 months, ESDHD and its director, Michael Pascucilla, have been involved in assisting local government, schools, and businesses of all types, from restaurants to skilled nursing facilities, navigate operating during COVID-19, as the local public health agency for Branford, North Branford, and East Haven.

Pascucilla also meets weekly with town and school leaders to go over the latest COVID-19 metrics and data impacting each town, helping to guide local decision-making. Public updates, tips and information are shared at www.esdhd.org.

The Vaccine Rollout

Without even reliable testing for COVID-19 available at the start of the pandemic, the thought of a vaccine was almost unimaginable a year ago. Now, Connecticut has emerged as one of the country’s leading states rushing the vaccine into the arms of eligible residents, with ESDHD key in assisting with distribution and implementation locally. State government data tracking (www.datact.gov) last updated March 8 for the towns of Branford and North Branford report the following vaccine progress: Among Branford’s 27,900 citizens, 9,200 have received at least a single vaccination (32.97 percent of the town); while North Branford’s population of 14,146 residents includes 4,405 or 31.14 percent of the population vaccinated with at least a first dose.

Back to School

Remote learning became the norm for students in both towns shortly after schools were first shut down, by executive order of Governor Ned Lamont, in March 2020. Both towns shuttered school buildings after classes were completed on March 13, 2020, at first for what was expected to be about two weeks to help bend the curve of the rapidly spreading virus. In the days and weeks that followed, additional executive orders resulted in the continued shut-down of school building, ultimately lasting the rest of the school year.

During the early weeks of school buildings closing, both districts pivoted to ramp up full-scale remote learning. The changes came with growing pains and learning curves as it was a first for both districts as well as many students, teachers and parents.

Over the summer, school districts in both towns worked to develop plans best suited for each school population to resume learning the fall, even as both communities continued to endure the uncertainties, shut downs, and spikes of COVID-19, which waned during the summer months but began rising by fall.

In September 2020, North Branford Public Schools (NBPS) resumed offering full in-person learning at all school buildings with enhanced COVID-19 safety protocols and practices, while Branford Public Schools (BPS) enacted a grades 1 to 12 hybrid model blending remote learning with least two days per week in person learning, by cohort, at all school buildings and three days of remote instruction. Branford kindergarten classes opened for four days in-person, with one day remote. Pre-K was not offered as part of the 2020-’21 school year.

Speaking to The Sound on the first day back to school in September 2020, North Branford Superintendent of Schools Scott Schoonmaker said over 90 percent of the student population had returned to school buildings. The remaining approximate 10 percent opted to continue remote learning with the option to return to full-in person learning at their discretion.

Looking back at the tremendous hurdles and changes encountered approximately one year ago when Branford school buildings were directed to close and the district began addressing the challenge of distance learning, “we pivoted an aircraft carrier on a dime on March 13 last year,” Superintendent of Schools Hamlet Hernandez said, speaking at a Feb. 24 Board of Education special meeting.

Now, thanks in part to an effort that began earlier this month to scale up giving COVID-19 vaccines to all eligible members of the district’s faculty, staff, and others including coaches and long-term substitutes as well as contractors such as food handlers and bus drivers, the month of March has become a “transition month” for BPS, said Hernandez.

As of March 12, 552 of 753 of those eligible among the district’s personnel groups, by descending age, had been vaccinated with at least one dose of the vaccine. The district is currently implementing a phased-in return to full in-person learning for all students by April 5 (see “Branford Schools Plan Accelerated Return to Full, In-Person Learning” on page 8).

Zooming to Meet

While educators, students and families with school-aged children worked to become familiar with online education, early on in the pandemic and continuing even now, many residents (outside of front-line essential workers) have relied on working remotely, from home, as have non-front-line essential town government employees and officials serving on local boards and commissions.

Beginning in late March 2020, public meetings in both towns moved to online access for residents via Zoom, with residents logging on, calling in, or following the meetings on Facebook live, thanks in large part to the work of BCTV in Branford and Totoket TV in North Branford. While most meetings continue to be held via Zoom, most recently, North Branford Town Council began moving back toward in-person council meetings (with limited audience capacity and proper distancing and facial coverings) as of March 2, and Branford’s Board of Education has held meetings allowing for up to 20 in-person attendees following pandemic protocols.

The Economic Impact

Through online orders, gift card purchases, call-in orders for take-out or curbside delivery, and more recent campaigns such as Shoreline Chamber of Commerce’s Bring Your Own Blanket (encouraging outdoor dining during the colder months), many local small businesses supported by community members in Branford and North Branford have adjusted to stay afloat during the past year, while some others, unfortunately, have closed for good.

Many residents also lost jobs due businesses closing or cutting back and other changes forced by COVID-19. Connecticut Department of Labor’s state labor market statistics (www1.ctdol.state.ct.us) tell the story of a year of job loss, with slow but growing recovery in both towns now underway.

One year ago, on March 1, 2020, 15 Branford residents submitted a new request for unemployment compensation. Four weeks later, on March 29, that number rocketed to 2,023 first-time unemployment claims by Branford residents. In North Branford, 5 residents filed for initial unemployment as of March 1, 2020, but within four weeks, a total of 665 had filed first-time claims.

The latest available numbers, for the month of February 2021, show first-time unemployment claims in Branford totaled 87 overall, while North Branford initial unemployment filings for February 2021 were at 49. Other data shared at the site shows continuing claims for unemployment in both towns, which also spiked after March 2020, are still higher than average, but have started trending down.

Stepping Up in a Time of Need

The drastic turn toward unemployment in Branford and North Branford and the rising call for assistance from residents one year ago quickly overwhelmed local social services and non-profit support groups. Within a short period of time, local non-profits including Community Dining Room, Branford Food Pantry and Food Pantry of North Branford and Feed Branford Kids, as well as Branford Counseling and Community Services and North Branford Social Services, began implementing innovative programs to offer sustenance, hope, and assistance to families, seniors, and unemployed residents in need.

From providing grocery and restaurant meal gift cards to rent support, these local support groups were aided in their work by local organizations including the Branford Community Fund, North Branford Rotary Club, Branford Rotary Club, Soundview YMCA, and others that initiated special programs and fundraising efforts and rallied community support. New programs also emerged in both towns, such as weekly pick-up sites for distribution of free Farmers to Family Food Boxes.

One year later, several of the programs and options local non-profits created in response to the pandemic are now woven into offerings these group continue to provide to those in need.

In the News: Federal Dollars Reaching Branford and North Branford

On March 11, State Senator Christine Cohen (D-12) shared some local specifics about the federal funding arriving here as a result of the $1.9 trillion federal American Rescue Plan Act signed into law March 12.

“Of the $1.9 trillion stimulus package, approximately $10 billion will be arriving to Connecticut,” Cohen noted in a message to the 12th District.

Cohen also shared estimates of what towns in District 12 can expect to receive in total funding for both “non-education” and “education” aid. Branford is expected to receive $2,754,648 in municipal aid and $3,690,000 in educational aid; for a total of $6,444,648. North Branford is anticipated to receive $1,396,675 in municipal aid and $606,000 in educational aid; for a total of $2,002,675. The funds do not include the act’s provisions for personal payments such as $1,400 stimulus checks for eligible residents and extended increased unemployment payment benefits.

According to information provided by the National Council of State Legislators (www.ncsl.org) on funds to be disbursed through the American Rescue Plan Act, “state and local government recipients could use the funds to cover costs incurred by Dec. 31, 2024. The funds would be distributed in two tranches, with 50 percent delivered no later than 60 days from the date of enactment, and the remainder delivered no earlier than one year later. States would have to distribute funds to smaller towns within 30 days of receiving a payment from the department. States that miss the deadline would have to pay back any undistributed funds. A town cannot receive more than 75 percent of its budget as of Jan. 27, 2020. The Treasury Department could also withhold up to half of a state or territory’s allocation for as long as 12 months based on its unemployment rate and require an updated certification of its funding needs.”

New Standards Stick Around as Restrictions Ease

Lamont’s recent executive order will, as of Friday, March 19, revise capacity limits and other restrictions for restaurants, retail, libraries, personal services, indoor recreation, theaters, gyms/fitness centers, museums, and offices and houses of worship and increase crowd size limits for social and recreational gatherings. Some standards implemented during the pandemic will continue. From plexiglass shields between shoppers and check out clerks at stores to donning a facemask when in close proximity of others, many of those standards also seem so familiar to us now, after a year of living in a global pandemic.

And after a year of enduring shut downs, loss, changes, and cancellations, many residents will likely gladly mask up to attend a local graduation ceremony, summer festival, or other public event that had to be drastically altered or canceled in 2020.

One hopeful local sign of a return to pre-pandemic times was announced on March 5, when, as previously reported, North Branford’s much-loved Potato and Corn Festival (POCO) was officially placed back on the calendar after a year’s hiatus; with “plans in the works” for four days, Aug. 5 to 8 at the POCO grounds at Augur Field. However, those plans, and the ability for the event to take place, will be based on whether COVID deaths and hospitalizations in the state continue to hold steady or decline. If not, additional requirements and financial costs could affect the viability of POCO, POCO Coordinator Jenn McCulloch told The Sound.

“We need to be understanding and flexible,” said McCullouch. “We’re all doing our best to make it something to look forward to and that can happen, based on the forthcoming regulations, and the financial feasibility of being able to follow them, and keeping everyone safe and healthy. Even if the festival cannot be held as it has in the past, we will have a back up plan of hosting small events as a deconstructed festival.”

The Sound will continue sharing news of POCO and any other events, programs, and community based re-openings that may be returning, in one form or another, to Branford and North Branford in the coming weeks. For updates, follow The Sound on Facebook (@thesoundct) or find the latest news at www.zip06.com (click on Towns).