Home Care In Fairfield, CT

The state Department of Public Health said there is a confirmed case of measles in an unvaccinated Fairfield County child under the age of 10.

This is the first case of measles in Connecticut in more than four years. Nationwide, more than 1,800 cases of measles have been reported in 2025 — the most since the virus was declared eliminated in the United States in 2000 and the most cases in more than three decades, according to the International Vaccine Access Center.

The child recently traveled internationally and began showing symptoms of measles several days later. Those symptoms included cough, runny nose, congestion, fever and eventually a rash starting at the head and spreading throughout the body.

Measles is a highly contagious diseases that can spread quickly through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. According to the CDC, 9 out of 10 unvaccinated individuals who encounter an infected person will become infected with the measles virus.

Measles can be dangerous, especially for children under the age of five. About 1 in 5 unvaccinated people in the U.S. who get measles end up being hospitalized, officials said.

Symptoms of measles generally begin 7–14 days after the exposure to an infected person. A typical case of measles begins with mild to moderate fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes, and sore throat.

Three to five days after the start of these symptoms, a red or reddish-brown rash appears, usually starting on a person's face at the hairline and spreading downward to the entire body. At the time the rash appears, a person's fever may spike to more than 104 degrees Fahrenheit.

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"The single best way to protect your children and yourself from measles is to be vaccinated," said DPH Commissioner Manisha Juthani, MD. "One dose of measles vaccine is about 93% effective, while two doses are about 97% effective. We must ensure we continue to protect those who matter most — children and other vulnerable people — from vaccine preventable illnesses through on-time vaccination."

DPH, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and several other organizations recommend children get two doses of MMR vaccine, starting with the first dose at 12 through 15 months of age, and the second dose at 4 through 6 years of age. A total of 98.2 percent of Connecticut students were vaccinated with 2 doses of MMR by kindergarten, health officials said. The state's MMR vaccination rate is the highest in the country, officials said.

The state Department of Public Health says an unvaccinated child under the age of 10 in Fairfield County contracted the virus after traveling internationally.

FAIRFIELD, Conn. — An unvaccinated child under 10 years old in Fairfield County is Connecticut's first confirmed case of measles in more than four years, the state Department of Public Health announced Wednesday.

This announcement comes as the United States has seen more than 1,800 cases of the virus in 2025, the most since it was deemed eliminated in the country in 2000, according to data from the International Vaccine Access Center.

A DPH spokeswoman said that the child recently travelled outside the country. A few days after returning, they began to show symptoms of measles. These include a cough, runny nose, congestion, fever and rash starting at the head.

Measles is an airborne virus that is highly contagious. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention says that nine out of 10 unvaccinated people who are exposed to the virus will become infected.

“The single best way to protect your children and yourself from measles is to be vaccinated,” Connecticut DPH Commissioner Manisha Juthani said. “One dose of measles vaccine is about 93% effective, while two doses are about 97% effective. We must ensure we continue to protect those who matter most – children and other vulnerable people – from vaccine preventable illnesses through on-time vaccination.”

Connecticut's has the country's highest rate of vaccination against measles, mumps and rubella, with more than 98% of students receiving both doses of the vaccine by kindergarten, according to the Statewide School Immunization Survey.

RELATED: How to protect against measles virus while cases are on the rise in New Mexico and Texas

Jack Spiegel is an Assignment Desk Editor and writer at FOX61. He can be reached at

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FAIRFIELD, CT — The Fairfield Arts Commission is seeking local student and adult artists to submit works of art for the Artistic Visions Challenge. The challenge was kicked off last week with an Arts Mixer held in the Warehouse at the Fairfield Theatre Company.

Now in its second year, the Artistic Visions Challenge is a townwide, juried art competition aimed at encouraging artists to collaborate and create art in new and unique ways. The competition is open to student artists, ages 10-19, and adults (ages 20+) that either work, reside or attend school in Fairfield. Artists in each age category will compete for a first prize of $1,000.

The theme of this year’s challenge is to create a work of art that makes a statement about the nation’s 250th anniversary.

"Artists are tasked with bridging America’s past and present in interpretative ways to address this theme," organizers said. "Additionally, participants are required to create art that not only reflects the given theme, but also much have at least one collaborative element from the other age group and incorporate 'America’s 250th' and at least one 'Easter Egg' — a hidden message or reference to Fairfield.

From the announcement:

Eligibility & Entry Details:

Open to student artists, ages 10-19 as well as adults (ages 20+) who either work, reside or attend school in Fairfield.

The Commission encourages participants to push their creative limits, whether through a unique technique or by a mash-up of traditional art forms to create something new. A quick overview of the rules and guidelines can be found here.

To help build community, foster intergenerational collaboration and enrich the creative process, participants will need to attend one of two planned collaboration events to share ideas, insights, techniques and inspirations. The Fairfield Arts Commission will be hosting the first of these collaboration station events on January 15th, from 6-8PM at Fairfield Theatre Company, located at 70 Sanford Street. The event is free to attend, though advance registration is requested. All participants are asked to indicate their attendance plans by registering here.

The Fairfield Arts Commission gratefully acknowledges the continued support of the Connecticut Department of Community & Economic Development, Office of the Arts, in its work. Individuals or businesses that have a passion for the arts and may be interested in sponsorship opportunities should contact the Fairfield Arts Commission at (203) 256-3120 or [email protected] for more information.

About the Fairfield Arts Commission

The Fairfield Arts Commission is an official body of the Town of Fairfield, comprised of nine volunteers appointed by the First Selectman. The purpose of the Fairfield Arts Commission is to stimulate, foster, facilitate and encourage the development and appreciation of artistic and cultural activities within the Town of Fairfield. Following their appointment, the members applied for and received statewide recognition of Fairfield’s first cultural district in June 2025.

The popular event features local retailers that will extend their hours and offer hors d'oeuvres and seasonal refreshments.

FAIRFIELD, CT — The Town of Fairfield and the Fairfield Chamber of Commerce will co-sponsor the 13th annual Fairfield Holiday “Shop & Stroll” from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Dec. 11, officials announced.

Local retailers participating in the event will extend their hours and offer hors d’oeuvres and seasonal refreshments. Carolers and student musicians from area schools are scheduled to perform throughout the evening.

"This is a great opportunity to support our local businesses and get your holiday shopping done while enjoying a fun night out with family or friends," said Mark Barnhart, Fairfield’s director of community and economic development, in a statement.

Added Chamber President Beverly Balaz, "The Chamber of Commerce is happy to be partnering with the Town on this festive event as it will give our businesses another opportunity to open their doors to the community, meet new customers from surrounding towns and together, help celebrate the holiday season with a wonderful shopping experience!"

Barnhart also encouraged shoppers to take part in Small Business Saturday on Nov. 29, the weekend after Thanksgiving. The town and Chamber of Commerce will host a welcome station at the Holiday Market at Greenfield Hill Commons from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., where visitors can receive a complimentary “Shop Small” canvas bag donated by American Express, along with other giveaways while supplies last.

Small Business Saturday was launched in 2010 to highlight and support small retailers. "[Fairfield] is pleased to serve as a neighborhood champion for this event," Barnhart said. "'Small Business Saturday' is a terrific opportunity to kick off the holiday season by remembering the small businesses that help make Fairfield special, and we would encourage all to 'Shop Small' throughout the year, but especially during this festive time of year."

Businesses interested in participating in or sponsoring the Holiday Shop & Stroll may contact Mary Alice Limperopulos, marketing and business development manager, at 203-256-3120 by the end of business on Nov. 17.

This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Whether a laughing face, a crying face, heart or heartbreak symbol, the meaning of an emoji often depends on the receiver's interpretation.

Press release

FAIRFIELD— Emojis may be seen as fun and colorful, but they’ve become a serious tool in consumer marketing strategy. New research by a Fairfield Dolan professor of marketing explores how a deep understanding of emojis—and their varying interpretations across generations—can significantly impact marketing effectiveness.

Rajasree Rajamma, PhD, the Thomas Fitzgerald Endowed Chair of Marketing and a professor of marketing at the Charles F. Dolan School of Business, defines consumer confusion as “the mismatch between a company’s intended meaning for an emoji and the consumer’s actual interpretation.”

Whether it’s a laughing face, a crying face, or a heart or heartbreak symbol, the meaning of an emoji often depends on the receiver’s interpretation—and that interpretation is often shaped by culture.

In her latest research, titled “Consumer Confusion: Examining Emoji use in Online Communication,” Dr. Rajamma and her co-authors examine how differences between a company’s intended use of an emoji and consumers’ interpretations can lead to confusion—and even have the potential to pose “significant risk for brand communication.”

Take the skull emoji, for example. According to Dr. Rajamma, this emoji is traditionally associated with death or horror by older generations, whereas Generation Z uses it to express being “dead” from laughing. That distinction, she said, is one of the reasons she and her colleagues urge companies and managers to remain alert to consumers’ shifting emoji usage in order to proactively mitigate misunderstandings.

Dr. Rajamma noted that when companies use emojis such as the “disappointed face” in promotions, consumers often interpret the message differently—and may even view it as unprofessional—creating a marketing risk and missing the mark with the intended audience.

“When a brand attempts to use this emoji to connect with Gen Z, other consumers may become confused, potentially causing the message to backfire,” Dr. Rajamma said. Messages that are “lost in translation” can pose serious financial risks for companies.

A study by Adobe found that 71 percent of Gen Z consumers are more likely to buy from brands that use emojis in their messaging. However, the research highlights that it’s not just about using emojis, it’s about using the right ones for your company’s audience.

Published in the Internet Research journal, the “Consumer Confusion” research article was authored by Dr. Rajamma alongside Lin Lu, PhD, assistant professor of analytics in the Dolan School of Business, and Qin Sun, PhD, associate professor of marketing at California State University. The Dolan School of Business designated the study a top publication. Internet Research carries an "A" ranking in the Australian Business Deans Council (ABDC) Journal Quality List, a widely recognized benchmark for evaluating business scholarship, and one used to measure research quality within Fairfield Dolan.

Dr. Rajamma, an expert in consumer behavior, summarized their research findings simply: “Successful communication means consistently seeing things from your audience’s perspective to keep your message clear.'"

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