Most COVID restrictions being phased out
All of Connecticut’s outdoor restrictions — including the requirement to wear a mask while dining outside — have gone away. But what that actually means for outdoor events this spring will depend on where you go.
While outdoor restrictions have been lifted, private businesses can still decide to establish their own rules.
“If a private venue wants to make its own rules, it’s up to them,” said Max Reiss, chief spokesman for Gov. Ned Lamont.
Some businesses have already announced changes.
Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo in Bridgeport said guests are “strongly encouraged” to wear masks while visiting, but they are not required at outdoor exhibits where guests can maintain social distancing.
In places where people can’t social distance — such as in lines or at kiosks — masks “should” be worn, the zoo said through a notice posted on its website. And at indoor parts of the zoo, masks are still required.
But others are less clear. Dave Schermerhorn, general manager for the Norwich Sea Unicorns baseball team, said the team is continuing to “work with the state to determine exactly what policies will look like in 2021,” and couldn’t comment on its mask policy.
In its latest announcement in late April, the Hartford Yard Goats baseball team said those attending games will be expected to wear masks inside the stadium unless they are eating or drinking. But the organization said it was following Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance, and working with state and local officials on how to keep the ballpark safe.
Alongside dropping the outdoor mask requirement, Saturday’s rolled-back restrictions will also allow restaurants to stay open until midnight, with no table-size limit on outdoor dining. Outdoor patrons will also be able to order alcohol without also ordering food, though indoor bars that do not also serve food remain closed.
“If you’re outside, if you’re with friends and you know everybody’s been vaccinated — no need to wear the mask,” Lamont said last week. “If you’re in a more crowded area outside and maybe with folks you don’t know, caution would indicate continue to wear the mask.”
He said the changes were “due to the good work” of residents, bringing the state’s infection rate last week to the lowest it had been in six months.
The state’s easing of restrictions comes as new guidance has been released by the CDC, which last week said people who have been fully vaccinated can eat outdoors at restaurants without wearing a mask, including with people from multiple households.
Fully vaccinated people can also attend small, outdoor gatherings with both vaccinated and unvaccinated people, the CDC said.
The agency said those who are fully vaccinated should still wear masks for crowded large outdoor events like live performances, concerts or parades.
The remainder of Connecticut’s business restrictions are planned to be phased out on May 19 — all except the indoor mask requirement. The state Department of Public Health “will also be issuing recommendations for hosting large events” such as concerts, according to the state’s website.
In New York, meanwhile, arts and entertainment venues still have a complex set of requirements for outdoor capacity. That may be pushing the state’s residents to Connecticut.
Marc Weber, who runs a catering and events business in Stamford, said New Yorkers have been booking more events in Connecticut considering the state's announcement that most restrictions will be eliminated on May 19.
While business is up compared to a year ago, a difference he attributed to the availability of vaccines, most clients are still booking smaller events. Instead of a wedding with 200 guests, a couple might hold a small gathering of a dozen or so in a tent or a private home, he said.