New COVID mask rules pose challenges
Since Gov. Ned Lamont announced Thursday that people who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 can stop wearing masks indoors next week, David Lewis has been slammed with phone calls.
Lewis is CEO of Norwalk-based Operations Inc., which he describes as one of the largest human consultant practices in the country. Lewis said he’s been fielding calls from
employers, asking what the changes mean, and wondering how they should proceed.
“The initial reaction we’re seeing is a mix of euphoria by some, confusion by others and fear,” he said. “The euphoria side is, ‘Finally, we don’t have to wear masks anymore.’ The confusion piece is that (the new guidelines clear) a major hurdle, but it’s one of those things that you get an answer to a major question and you realize you have nine more questions as a result.”
Lamont’s announcement came on the heels of new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which announced Thursday that “fully vaccinated people can resume activities without wearing a mask or physically distancing, except where required by federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules, and regulations, including local business and workplace guidance.”
What that means for children under 12, who are too young to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, remained uncertain on Friday. A spokesperson for the state Department of Public Health said the agency is working to incorporate the CDC’s guidance into Connecticut’s existing rules.
“We anticipate that guidance and orders will be generally consistent with what the CDC released (Thursday), with a few local modifications that will be announced shortly,” DPH spokesperson Maura Fitzgerald said.
In an email, Fitzgerald noted that while the CDC recommends vaccinated people do not need to wear a mask in most indoor settings, “everyone should continue to wear masks in health care settings, (including the dentist’s office), public transportation and transportation hubs, and some other congregate settings.” People who have not yet been vaccinated should continue to wear a mask, she added.
The shift comes as Connecticut’s COVID numbers appear to be improving each day. On Friday, the state announced there were 365 new cases out of 32,583 people tested for a daily positivity rate of 1.12 percent.
There were 198 patients hospitalized with COVID — 24 fewer than the previous day. There were five more COVID-related deaths recorded Friday, increasing the state’s official death toll to 8,173.
Though many see the change in mask regulations as a positive step, there are still plenty of questions. Lewis said one of the biggest unknowns is how to determine if someone is vaccinated.
“As an employer, in particular, what am I supposed to now do?” Lewis said. “Do I just go ahead and assume employees are acting in good faith? Or do I go the route that colleges have and say, ‘You can’t come back into the office unless you’re vaccinated and can prove it.’”
Lewis isn’t alone in trying to process a potentially huge change in COVID-19 protocols. Other business leaders, as well as medical experts, said it will take time to identify the best way to proceed.
“I think it’s going to be a process,” said Dr. Zane Saul, chief of infectious disease at Bridgeport Hospital. “We’re going to have to inch our way through based on comfort level.”
Like Lewis, he said, “the big question is the unknown — how do you know who is vaccinated and who isn’t?”
Businesses have been told they can establish their own protocols when the mask restrictions are lifted on Wednesday. Lewis said he’s advising employers not to rush into major changes, and at least one major area retailer is following that advice.
Stew Leonard’s — with stores in Norwalk, Danbury and Newington, as well as in New York and New Jersey — announced Friday it will still require shoppers to wear masks when the restriction is lifted.
“Stew Leonard’s was among the first leaders to ask our customers and team members to wear masks last year, but now we are going to be laggers,” Stew Leonard Jr., the chain’s president and CEO, said in a statement. “We are going to monitor our customers to see what they say. If you want to share your opinion on this topic, we have a poll posted on our Twitter page. My family and I would love to hear from you.”
Other chains taking a wait-and-see approach to their mask policy include CVS. In a statement issued by CVS Health, the company said it is “reevaluating its position on masks given the CDC’s new guidance.”
“Until that evaluation is complete, the existing company policies on face coverings and maintaining social distance in stores and clinics remain in effect,” the company statement said. “The safety of our employees, customers and vendors will continue to guide our decisionmaking process.”
Stop & Shop also confirmed “there are no changes” to the company’s mask mandate “at this time.”
However, Walmart announced Friday that shoppers and employees who have been fully vaccinated will not have to wear a mask. The retail giant is also offering its U.S. associates an extra $75 in their paycheck if they get vaccinated.
Scott Dolch, executive director of the Connecticut Restaurant Association, said he’s been fielding questions and opinions from his members. Some members, he said, want to keep their masking requirements, as young children are not yet able to be vaccinated.
Others think relaxing mask requirements could motivate “back-of-thehouse” workers, such as line cooks, to get vaccinated so they don’t have to wear masks while working in the kitchen, which can be hot and uncomfortable.
“First and foremost, it’s great news that the CDC feels fully vaccinated people don’t need a mask inside or outside,” Dolch said. “But then you’ve got to take a step back and say, ‘OK, what does that mean for our state?’”
Dr. Daniel Gottschall, vice president of medical affairs for the Fairfield region of Hartford HealthCare and St. Vincent’s Medical Center in Bridgeport, said he realizes some people could be apprehensive about mask requirements being lifted and are not ready to go without a face covering.
“I think that’s their right,” he said.
Saul agreed.
“I think everybody has to do what they’re comfortable with,” he said. “I think people are still going to be urged to be cautious.”