CT relaxes outdoor dining restrictions, accelerates vax schedule

The state is relaxing restrictions on outdoor dining and again accelerating its vaccination schedule.

The Connecticut House of Representatives yesterday voted 141-0 in favor of further relaxing restrictions on outdoor dining at restaurants, enabling these businesses to provide expanded service to their customers outside through March 31, 2022.

The legislation, House Bill 6610, allows municipalities to expedite permanent changes to their zoning rules if they wish to expand the availability of outdoor dining and retail activity. It now goes to the state Senate for consideration.

“These relaxed rules could be the start of a new Connecticut tradition that increases activity in our towns,” Gov. Ned Lamont remarked. “One positive outcome of this unfortunate pandemic has been that we”™ve been thinking about new, creative ways to offer activities outdoors, including at restaurants.

“Expanded outdoor dining has created a vibrancy in many of our neighborhoods in ways that we haven”™t seen before, all while supporting locally owned, small businesses,” he added.

“A year after restaurants were asked to close their doors, and we watched more than 600 restaurants close, moving this bill forward is a positive step in the right direction,” said Scott Dolch, executive director of the Connecticut Restaurant Association. “We hope that the Senate will now move quickly, helping give local restaurants some much-needed assurance that they”™ll be able to continue offering outdoor dining as they recover from this pandemic.”

The governor has filed a separate bill to streamline the processes for municipalities to permit outdoor dining in their towns. House Bill 6448 is currently pending in the Planning & Development Committee.

Meanwhile, citing the speed at which Connecticut”™s vaccine providers have been getting doses out, Lamont announced that all residents over the age of 16 are now eligible to schedule a vaccination appointment beginning April 1. Previously, the eligibility date for that age group was April 5.

Those who are currently eligible to receive the vaccine in Connecticut include:

  • All individuals over the age of 45;
  • Healthcare personnel;
  • Medical first responders;
  • Residents and staff of long-term care facilities;
  • Residents and staff of select congregate settings; and
  • PreK-12 school staff and professional childcare providers.

As of last night, the state has administered nearly 1.69 million doses. Over 619,000 residents have been fully vaccinated, while about 1.1 million have received their first doses.

Information on Connecticut”™s Covid-19 vaccination program is available at ct.gov/covidvaccine.