BRIEFING UPDATES:

-89,686 tests were administered and 3,338 came back positive (3.72% positivity)

-496 patients are currently hospitalized (increase of 94)

-There have been 27 additional deaths (3-day total)

-COVID-19 vaccine from Pfizer and BioNTech is strongly effective, early data from large trial indicate: 43,538 volunteers studied, 90% effective, FDA submission possible by end of the month.

-President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris' transition COVID-19 Task Force: All three co-chairs have ties with Connecticut: Dr. David Kessler, Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith and Dr. Vivek Murthy. 

-Biden/Harris COVID-19 plan: Double the number of drive-through testing sites, invest in next-gen testing, stand up a pandemic testing board and establish a US public health jobs corps.

-Gov. Ned Lamont says Connecticut has doubled the number of COVID-29 hospitalizations in the past few weeks, but capacity still good. He says 94 more people were admitted over past three days.

-Lamont signed an executive order that builds upon his efforts to encourage mitigation strategies that slow down transmission of the virus.

-Executive Order No. 9L enacts: Extends to Feb. 9, 2021 all previously issued executive orders related to COVID-19 that are in effect as of today; extends to Feb. 9, 2021 any unexpired order, rule regulation, directive, or guidance issued by any official, agency department, municipality, or entity pursuant to an unexpired COVID-19 order, unless earlier modified or terminated by the issuing authority.