Officials in Fairfield discussed what it means to carry an orange alert COVID-19 status in town, while they introduced a new public service announcement aimed to lower transmission rates.

Health Director Sands Cleary says Fairfield currently holds an orange alert status which means there are additional recommendations to help reduce the spread of the virus.

He says the town will have frequent conversations with the state Department of Public Health with the strategies they're implementing.

Cleary says one example is to limit larger meetings and events and making sure state recommendations continue to be implemented in K-12 schools.

Fairfield is up to just more than 1,000 positive cases.

Cleary says the recent spike in cases is mostly because of an increase in cases at the town's two colleges, Fairfield University and Sacred Heart University, and also students testing positive at Ludlowe High School and other schools throughout the district.

Cleary says now is not the time to "let our guard down."

Orange alert is the level right under red, and it all has to with the daily number of cases over a 14-day period and the town's population.

Cleary says if a town is under orange it doesn't have to revert to Phase 2 but needs to be extra cautious.

Following the spike in cases, the town released this public service announcement video that features both the town's college and high school students.