Phase 2: Gyms, indoor dining, hotels
As state restaurants and stores welcomed customers Wednesday in the first stage of a reopening process, Gov. Ned Lamont turned his attention toward a second phase that could begin June 20.
Hotels, gyms, movie theaters and bowling alleys could be allowed to reopen in the second stage, Lamont said, and restaurants would be permitted to offer indoor dining.
The governor listed five criteria for proceeding with that stage: a decrease or limited increase in hospitalizations; dramatic increases in testing and contact tracing; rules and regulations for businesses wishing to reopen; protection for vulnerable populations; and adequate health care capacity.
“We’ll be looking at the metrics, we’ll be looking at where we are over the next few weeks,” Lamont said. “And that will be really important as we give you guidance a couple weeks before June 20 and beyond.”
Also included in the second
phase of reopening, which is targeted for June 20, are outdoor amusement parks; social clubs; pools; all museums, zoos and aquariums; indoor dining; and outdoor arts or entertainment events of up to 50 people.
Lamont said he hopes “selected” youth sports, public libraries, K-12 summer school and all summer day camps can open between June 20 and early July. He added that state officials are targeting reopening graduate school programs and college dormitories on a small scale in July and August. The state plans to open all undergraduate programs in the fall, in addition to boarding schools and K-12 schools, barring a coronavirus resurgence.
“We told the universities to expect opening up in September with residential housing, but as Dr. [Albert] Ko says, if there’s change in course, we’ll give you about 30 days’ notice and you got to be ready if there is a change there,” Lamont said.
A third phase, which would come at least four weeks after the second, could include bars, indoor event spaces and venues, indoor amusement parks or arcades, and outdoor events of up to 100 people, Lamont said.
The first stage of the state’s reopening process began Wednesday, with restaurants opening for outdoor dining and some retail stores welcoming their first customers in months.
Despite some bumps — including one barber in Stonington who opened Wednesday in defiance of the governor’s order — Lamont called the day a success.
“I haven’t heard of a lot of defiance out there,” Lamont said. “People feel like we’re on the right track, and I appreciate that.”
Lamont reported 587 new confirmed COVID-19 cases out of 5,198 new tests Wednesday, a slight uptick in the positive test rate. Hospitalizations continued to decline, however, continuing a four-week trend. Fifty-seven more deaths brought the state’s total to 3,529 over the course of the outbreak.
In other developments Wednesday:
t The Department of Public Health reported that another 20 nursing homes have received deficiency findings related to infection control during the pandemic, bringing the total up to 41 of the 215 homes statewide that have been cited by Connecticut National Guard and federal inspectors.
DPH reported four deficiency findings related to grouping COVID-19 and nonCOVID-19 patients together, two deficiency findings for improper notification inside the facility and to families, three findings based on improper physical distancing between residents, four findings of various other infection control problems, and 11 findings related to improper use or cleaning of PPE. By law, the cited homes must submit corrective action plans to DPH and are allowed to dispute the findings.
t The Phillips Health Center, Hartford HealthCare and a coalition of churches will sponsor free COVID-19 testing at 2550 Main St. in Hartford on Thursday. For more information, call 860-904-9045.
t Hartford HealthCare Behavioral Health Network on Wednesday launched a new hotline with information about behavioral health services available in Connecticut. Hotline staff is available to discuss mental health support, managing emotions, substance abuse and medical questions about COVID-19. The hotline, which is open around the clock every day, can be reached at 833-621-0600. Mental health professionals expect increases in depression, anxiety, isolation, post-traumatic stress disorder and uncertainty about school. t State officials are projecting a budget shortfall of $619.9 million at the end of the fiscal year, June 30. The shortfall is an improvement over last month’s projection, which was closer to $1 billion. It is likely the state will use some of its “rainy day fund” to close the gap. The fund stands at over $2.5 billion.
Restaurants, stores begin reopening
Wednesday offered a glimpse at what dining could look like in the immediate future, with tables set up outside of restaurants that chose to open. Retail stores were allowed to reopen as well, although in many malls and plazas across the state half or fewer chose to do so.
Large white tents stretched over the patio seating at Wood-n-Tap in Farmington, where a few groups of diners sat at distanced tables for an early lunch along the river. Servers wore masks and gloves, with sanitizer dispensers at the host stand.
Host Robbie Casper said the restaurant had received many calls asking about reservations.
“People are definitely interested to get back,” he said. “We’re in full force ready for today to hit.”
Outside Spigot Cafe, the big red pub on Hartford’s Prospect Avenue, a dozen regulars leaned back in plastic chairs Wednesday evening and caught up on what’s happened since many of them last saw each other at the bar in March. Pam Pelletier, 59, wore a mask but stole a hug from Jenni Iwans, 35, whose face was uncovered as she sipped a mixed drink from a plastic cup.
“They’re all friends out there so they’re not doing the 6-foot social distancing,” said owner Joe Grillo, who bought the Spigot last year.
“But all the tables are six feet apart.”
Grillo assembled the “patio” over the past two weeks after getting a special permit from the city.
Casinos hope to reopen June 1, against Lamont’s wishes
Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods plan to reopen June 1, the owners of the respective casinos said Wednesday, despite warnings from Lamont.
Both casinos plan to open only portions of their facilities and will do so with new safety protocols in place.
Mohegan, run by the Mohegan Tribe, and Foxwoods, owned by the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, will market only to Connecticut and Rhode Island residents for the immediate future. Neither casino plans to open its concert venues, buffets or poker rooms, while restaurants will open only for takeout.
At his daily briefing Wednesday, Lamont urged the casinos against reopening so soon.
“We’ve got to talk again,” he said. “I think that’s incredibly risky. It’s risky for the people who work in the casinos, it’s risky for people who go to the casinos, it’s risky for the region because you have a lot of employees who go back out into the region.”
State establishes procedure to enforce reopening rules
The state clarified its procedure for enforcing the so-called sector rules that govern which businesses may begin reopening this week, and how they are allowed to operate after one barbershop defiantly opened ahead of schedule, causing confusion in Stonington on Wednesday morning.
Modern Barber and Shave’s Cat Thibodeau opened her shop Wednesday morning even though Lamont had ordered barbershops and nail salons to remain closed through June 1.
But confusion over Lamont’s executive order Monday night, which was designed to empower local health directors and police departments to enforce the reopening rules, caused a kerfuffle between the regional Ledge Light Health District and state officials about whether and how to order Thibodeau to close.
The state sought to clarify the procedure in the governor’s nightly coronavirus update, explaining that local health, police and town officials will have the authority to inspect businesses for compliance with the reopen rules.
“In most instances, a first violation will result in a warning and education by local law enforcement,” according to the guidance. “In instances of a second or more egregious violation, law enforcement will refer complaint to the local public health department or chief elected official designee. The local public health department and chief elected official’s designee may order business closure.”
Lamont urged anyone who sees businesses or other residents breaking the reopening rules to report them to officials online at ct.gov/coronavirus or by calling 211.
“Follow the rules. Don’t celebrate people that break the rules,” he said. “Consumers … speak out if you see somebody breaking these rules … We’ll make sure the proper group is there to give a reminder. And if you care about your community, you care about your family, follow the rules.”