Lamont makes Father’s Day gesture to restaurants
Connecticut eateries can serve indoor diners June 17, three days earlier than originally planned
Gov. Ned Lamont, whose administration has been facing intense lobbying by the restaurant industry over
COVID-19 restrictions, made a modest concession Friday by allowing indoor dining on June 17, three days ahead of the previously scheduled second phase of reopening on June 20.
Three days makes little difference in the life of a pandemic that has claimed 4,000 lives and roiled Connecticut’s economy since widespread closures ordered in mid-March to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, but it gives restaurants a small lift approaching Father’s Day on June 21, Lamont said.
“The metrics are pretty good,” he said, referring the rate of new COVID-19 cases and steady fall of hospitalizations. “A lot of the restaurants said give us a little more time to prepare for the coming weekend.”
More guidance on Phase 2 will be released in coming days, he said. Gyms and movie theaters are slated to reopen in Phase 2, and hotels will be allowed to resume booking guests for leisure travel after being limited to first responders and essential business travel.
“But we’re in a different place today,” Lamont said. “Here we are in June. Summer is coming. It’s time to get our holiday season going, and we’re going to be able to slowly open up our hotels, as well.”
The governor already has recon
sidered a ban on graduation ceremonies. On Wednesday, Lamont said that graduations could begin this weekend, following certain guidelines: They must be held outdoors, limit attendance to 150 graduates and guests, and maintain social distancing protocols.
The restaurant order Friday puts Connecticut ahead of some nearby states in allowing indoor dining. Outdoor dining has been allowed since May 20, the first of four expected phases in loosening restrictions that has limited commerce, closed schools and generally limited gatherings to no more than five people.
“We worked very closely with the restaurant association,” Lamont said.
Scott Dolch of the Connecticut Restaurant Association reacted with restraint, noting the association had been lobbying to begin indoor dining this week under conditions that would limit capacity and maintain social distancing.
“At the same time, this date will thankfully put us ahead of neighboring Massachusetts and New York in this regard,” Dolch said in a statement. “Given that Connecticut restaurants make up ten percent of our state economy, it’s critical that we not fall behind regionally and every day counts.”
The governor made the announcement on Twitter Friday morning.
Dolch said no one knows what will be the long-term damage on restaurants, the segment of the economy hardest hit by the closures and one of the biggest sources of the COVID-19-related unemployment.
“What we do know is that throughout this entire process, Governor Lamont has and his administration have remained responsive and open to our calls, even when we’ve disagreed,” he said. “We appreciate their open door, and we thank the governor for providing clarity on this timeline. Connecticut restaurants are ready for this next step.”
Lamont said the two weeks of outdoor dining have gone well. “I think customers are slowly getting back, feeling confident,” he said, adding that all the restaurants he’s visited have taken the safety protocols seriously.
Bars still will be closed as of June 17 but Lamont’s accelerated plan also will permit museums, zoos, amusement parks, sports clubs, libraries and some youth sport programs to resume operations.
The governor said state health officials are continuing to monitor whether all the large demonstrations in recent days could produce another surge in COVID-19 infection rates. Experts across the U.S. have warned that the massive protests triggered by the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis could lead to significant increases in coronavirus infections.
“But as long as COVID hospitalizations and infection rates remain low, we will be in a very good position for a June 17 Phase 2,” Lamont said.
As of Friday evening, the state reported it has seen 43,460 confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 overall, up 221 from Thursday. Connecticut has seen 4,038 confirmed and probable deaths associated with the disease, an increase of 31 from Thursday.
Hospitalizations fell by 23 to 350.
The state said 285,314 tests had been reported as of Friday, up by 5,857 from Thursday.
New London County has seen 1,045 overall confirmed COVID-19 cases, three more than on Thursday, with an additional 63 probable cases, up by one, as of Friday. There have been 70 confirmed deaths, one more than on Thursday, and probable deaths remained flat at 25.
The number of COVID-19 hospitalizations in the county remained flat for the third straight day, at eight. On Friday, Lawrence + Memorial Hospital had four COVID-19 patients. Backus Hospital had two and Westerly Hospital, none.
Fatalities have been heaviest at nursing homes, where visits have been banned. Lamont said that ban will continue, while the state explores other ways to provide family contact.
“We’re talking about that right now, trying to find some way we can augment what we do with FaceTime, maybe something outside. Maybe one visitor a family over a limited period of time, get them tested, being able to go in,” Lamont said. “We’re going to be able to make some progress on that, I hope soon.”