- Governor Ned Lamont says a further relaxation of Connecticut business restrictions could be announced in coming weeks
- Capacity restrictions have largely been lifted in Connecticut, with major events venues and destinations set to be permitted to reopen with some restrictions on Friday
- Lamont says he is monitoring COVID-19 data as infections tick up in the Northeast and nationwide
Summary by Dirk Langeveld
Further business restrictions could be coming to Connecticut in coming weeks, Governor Ned Lamont recently said in a conversation with the Greater Danbury Chamber of Commerce. However, increasing COVID-19 cases in the state have also prompted a warning that residents should continue to follow public health protocols.
Lamont said there have been increasing calls to relax restrictions on crowd sizes as venues look to host summer events. He said he is also hoping the majority of Connecticut residents will be vaccinated around June or July, which could permit larger gatherings to take place safely later in the season.
Connecticut lifted capacity limits for most businesses on March 19, although some restrictions remain such as a 50 percent cap for movie theaters and performing arts venues. There are also several caps in place for events, including 50 percent capacity of up to 100 people for indoor events at commercial venues and up to 200 people for outdoor commercial events.
The state is scheduled to further relax restrictions this week. On Friday, amusement parks will be allowed to reopen at full capacity, outdoor event venues at 50 percent up to 10,000 people, and indoor stadiums at 10 percent capacity.
Some venues and events have already canceled or postponed larger gatherings. Sailfest in New London was called off for the second year in a row, although several smaller events will be scheduled. Several performing arts venues have pushed back their 2021 season to begin in the autumn.
Lamont said he is monitoring current COVID-19 data to guide his decisions as infections rise nationwide, including significant increases in the Northeast and the spread of more infectious variants. State officials issued a public health alert on Saturday as Connecticut’s case rate increased to 25 per 100,000. Residents were reminded to continue to wear a mask, observe social distancing in public, and be aware that one is not considered to be fully vaccinated until two weeks after receiving their final dose.
Last autumn, Connecticut was forced to reinstate business restrictions due to rising COVID-19 cases after relaxing them. No changes to business restrictions accompanied the recent alert.
