As Connecticut”™s spike in coronavirus cases continues, Gov. Ned Lamont has announced that private indoor and outdoor social gatherings will be limited to 10 people, and is recommending that residents limit non-essential trips outside their homes from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.
According to the latest figures from the Department of Public Health, Connecticut”™s Covid-19 infection rate now stands at 3.73%. Hospitalizations now total 380, and deaths stand at 4,656.
In Fairfield County, hospitalizations stand at 107 and Covid-related deaths now total 1,127.
On Nov. 2, Lamont announced that the entire state would retreat to a “modified” Phase 2 ”“ which he calls Phase 2.1 ”“ effective today. As a result, indoor restaurant capacity is returning to 50% from what had been 75%; eateries must close by 10 p.m., after restaurant owners balked at Lamont”™s original 9:30 p.m. specification.
In addition, Lamont has signed an executive order that:
- Amends the limits on indoor religious, spiritual, or worship gatherings to no more than 50% of the building”™s capacity or a maximum of 100 people, whichever is lower. If held outdoors, the limit is the number of people that can be accommodated safely by the venue or location, provided that all persons present wear masks, unless speaking from a designated safe location, and that a distance of six feet is maintained between all persons or groups not from the same household.
- Limits the capacity of indoor graduation ceremonies to 50% of the venue”™s capacity or a maximum of 100 people, whichever is smaller.
- Authorizes the commissioner of the Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) to establish mandatory rules for the safe conduct of youth sports.
- Authorizes the DECD commissioner to establish mandatory closing times for any business or establishment.
- Extends all currently enacted provisions related to outdoor dining through Feb. 9, 2021.
- Extends all currently enacted provisions prohibiting the sale of alcohol by certain permittees without the sale of food contained through Feb. 9, 2021.
- Modifies certain state statutes related to school nutrition programs and enables the commissioner of the Department of Education to temporarily waive or modify any requirements related to these programs.
According to the DPH”™s latest Covid-19 Alert Map, 68 cities and towns are now in the red zone alert level, the highest of the state”™s four alert levels. Within Fairfield County, those municipalities now include Bethel, Bridgeport, Brookfield, Danbury, Monroe, Norwalk, Shelton, Stamford, and Stratford.
The red zone indicates municipalities that have an average daily Covid-19 case rate over the last two weeks of greater than 15 per 100,000 population. An orange zone indicates those that have case rates between 10 to 14 cases per 100,000 population; yellow zone indicates municipalities that have case rates between 5 and 9 per 100,000 population, and gray zone means they have case rates lower than five per 100,000 population.
Earlier this month, county hospitals acknowledged an increase in cases but expressed confidence that they will be effective in meeting renewed challenges.
