HARTFORD, Conn. (WTIC and AP) — Connecticut is expected to ease some of its coronavirus-related restrictions as infections and hospitalizations are declining and vaccinations continue, Gov. Ned Lamont said Thursday.
Details were scheduled to be released later in the day. But Lamont said it won't be a major lifting of COVID-19 rules like some other states have announced.
“We’ll be talking about the next phase of reopening protocols this afternoon,” Lamont said at a morning news conference announcing a special vaccination clinic for Hartford school employees including teachers. “We’re not going to be like Mississippi and Texas.”
Many states are easing their COVID-19 restrictions on people and businesses, despite repeated warnings from health officials that the U.S. is risking another lethal wave. Mississippi and Texas are ending their mask mandates.
In Connecticut, the seven-day rolling average of daily new infections has dropped from about 840 to around 775 over the past two weeks. The seven-day average of daily deaths has dropped nearly in half, from 21 to about 12. Since Dec. 15, the number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 has decreased from about 1,270 to about 450.
More than 550,000 of Connecticut's 3.6 million residents have received the first of two vaccination shots and another 287,000 are fully vaccinated, according to state data. The state is running an age-based vaccination program. People 55 and older recently became eligible for the inoculations. Nursing home residents, medical workers and people over 75 were among the first to receive the vaccines.
Lamont said earlier this week that his administration was looking at lifting or easing some restrictions, possibly for travelers, restaurants and entertainment venues.
Connecticut's travel advisory requires people arriving from most other states and from other countries to quarantine for 10 days. Indoor dining at restaurants is limited to 50% capacity with 6-foot (2-meter) spacing between tables and a limit of eight people per table. Indoor performing arts venues also are limited to 50% capacity with 6-foot spacing between attendees.
Other states in the region have been lifting some of their COVID-19 restrictions. On Monday, Massachusetts eliminated restaurant capacity limits, but parties must be spaced 6 feet apart. New York is loosening restrictions on private gatherings and clearing the way for some public performances. New Jersey recently allowed fans to attend sports and entertainment events in the state's largest facilities, in limited numbers.
In Hartford on Thursday morning, city officials and Trinity Health of New England announced a special vaccination clinic for Hartford school employees including teachers. The clinic at St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center is expected to vaccinate 1,500 of the city's 2,800 school staff on Thursday and Friday, with more inoculations to follow at a later date.
Hartford Superintendent of Schools Leslie Torres-Rodriguez said staff at elementary schools will be a top priority for vaccinations, because those schools have the most in-person learning.
“As the weeks continue to progress and vaccinations continue to become available, we will have all of our students back in our schools later on this spring,” she said.