HARTFORD, Conn. (WTIC Radio) - Governor Ned Lamont signed an executive order Saturday to establish COVID-19 recovery centers in certain nursing homes across the state.
The recovery centers will accept patients who can be discharged from the hospital but are still infected with the COVID-19 virus, according to officials from the governor's office.
The first two recovery centers will be at Sharon Health Care Center in Sharon and Northbridge Health Care Center in Bridgeport, officials said. The order also gives the state's Department of Public Health Commissioner Renée Coleman-Mitchell the authority to create additional centers at other locations as needed.
Coleman-Mitchell said she intends to authorize an additional recovery center at Torrington Health and Rehabilitation Center in Torrington. She said she's in the process of finalizing details for other locations.
The order implements the medical surge plan for long-term care facilities which Lamont announced on Wednesday.
"People who live in nursing homes are among the most vulnerable, and this plan is needed in order to protect those who are negative for the virus while providing adequate areas of recovery for those who have tested positive and can be discharged from hospitals," Lamont said.
Other recovery centers are being set up across the state, including at The Connecticut Convention Center. Hartford HealthCare will be operating that recovery center which will house up to 600 patients, according to officials. Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven and Western Connecticut State University in Danbury also have recovery centers.
Saturday evening, Lamont announced on twitter that he will be meeting with Governor Andrew Cuomo of New York and Governor Phil Murphy of New Jersey on Monday to begin planning a "Back to Work" strategy.
