BRIDGEPORT, Conn. — Connecticut will be easing back on certain COVID-19 restrictions, including travel requirements and capacity limits. Although it isn't all good news for some businesses.
On March 19th restaurants, libraries, museums, gyms and fitness centers, retail and office spaces, personal services and houses of worship will be able to operate at full capacity.
Social and recreational gatherings at private residences will allow 25 people indoors and 100 people outdoors. All sports will be allowed to practice and compete and the mandatory 14-day quarantine in place for traveling --will serve as guidance not a mandate.
Not everything in the state will be allowed a full reopening, movie theatres and performing art venues still have to operate at 50% capacity.
“So, while we're lifting the capacity limit, we are going to maintain the mask and the spacing requirements. What does that mean in terms of restaurants? We're keeping that in place of eight people at a table, so it doesn't become a big party and we're going to maintain the 11pm curfew,” Lamont said.
Although Lamont said during his Thursday announcement, mask wearing, and social distancing will still be required at all facilities.
Restaurant owners said despite the green light, with a six-foot distance requirement, they won’t be able to operate at 100% capacity.
“I think inside I'm not using seven tables I normally would use, so I can’t really be 100% open because I have to maintain a social distance of six feet,” Bricco’s Restaurant owner Chef Billy Grant said.
The Connecticut Restaurant Association released a statement reading:
“Today marks another important step in Connecticut's nation-leading efforts to defeat COVID-19...before the pandemic, restaurants accounted for more than 160,000 jobs in our state. to get back to that point, the state will need to fully lift the curfew, limits on table sizes and more..”
West Hartford Mayor Shari Cantor said although the governor has authorized 100% capacity, many restaurants in town are small --which is why she’s proposing an ordinance to extend outdoor dining until the end of the year.
“It really only allows them 50 to 60% capacity, 75 maybe and even when they were talking about 75 it wasn’t adding many tables, so that added capacity outside is so much better for our restaurants,” Cantor said.