A group of Connecticut lawmakers announced Monday plans for legislation that would create a state Office of Pandemic Preparedness to focus on testing, emergency stockpiles and social services, while also encouraging the manufacturing of masks, gowns and other supplies within the state.

The goal is to be ready for the next pandemic.

“Now we need to focus on preparing Connecticut to survive and thrive in any future pandemic, and that means being more self-sufficient when it comes to PPE while growing and protecting jobs,” said state Sen. Cathy Osten, D-Sprague, in a written statement.

The legislators, who represent communities in eastern Connecticut, said the new pandemic office would include employees from key state agencies and would oversee a “strategic reserve” of equipment, including ventilators and storage space for vaccines.

Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont's administration for months has been amassing a stockpile of PPE in order to prepare for future waves of COVID-19 infections.

The state legislators also plan to propose legislation in the new session, which is scheduled to begin on Jan. 6, that guarantees essential workers can receive rent and mortgage assistance and emergency benefits from the state's new Paid Family and Medical Leave program, as well as training for people who lose their jobs due to a pandemic. Other proposals would attempt to help small businesses and school districts.

In other coronavirus-related news:

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UCONN BASKETBALL

The UConn men’s basketball team has suspended team activities for a second time this fall following another positive coronavirus test in the program.

The school said the move will force the postponement of Friday’s home game against St. John’s. That was to have been the first Big East game for the Huskies (3-0) since returning to the conference after seven years in the American Athletic Conference.

The school said all team activities will be paused “until contact tracing and additional testing is completed and it is deemed safe by medical professionals to resume.”

The UConn men’s program had resumed team activities on Nov. 19 after a 14-day pause instituted when a player contracted the virus. The Huskies' last two scheduled games were cancelled last week after Vanderbilt and North Carolina State had positive coronavirus tests in their programs.

UConn has not yet postponed its game on Dec. 13 at Georgetown. The Huskies also have games scheduled in the next two weeks at Providence on Dec. 17 and at home against Creighton on Dec. 20. Meanwhile, the UConn women’s program is set to begin play on Saturday against UMass-Lowell after coming back from its own coronavirus-related shut down.