Connecticut to lift all COVID-19 business restrictions, except masking, on May 19

Connecticut will lift all COVID-19 restrictions with the exception of the mask mandate on May 19, Gov. Ned Lamont announced Monday.

The state plans to move forward in two stages, Lamont announced, both contingent on declining coronavirus metrics and rising vaccination rates.

First, on May 1, the state will lift all outdoor restrictions, including allowing bars to operate outdoors without serving food. Then, on May 19, the state will do away with the remaining restrictions. That means bars will be able to open indoors, event venue and stadium capacity limits will be removed and social distancing requirements will be dropped. In addition, gathering restrictions for private events will be eliminated.

The one exception is the indoor mask mandate, which will remain in effect. The state also said that the Department of Public Health will be issuing recommendations for indoor gatherings and large outdoor gatherings.

Throughout the pandemic, Lamont has opted to keep bars and night clubs closed, due to concerns that their close quarters could trigger significant COVID-19 spread.The state also still has gathering restrictions in place currently — at private residences, gatherings are capped at 25 people indoors or 100 people outdoors; at commercial venues, gatherings are capped at 100 people indoors or 200 people outdoors.

But, for the first time in more than a year, those restrictions will soon disappear.

The announcement comes as the state pushes forward with its vaccination effort — about half of Connecticut residents have now received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, according to The New York Times, placing Connecticut among the top three fastest states for per capita vaccinations.

Even so, the state’s cases, hospitalizations and deaths are not as low as they were over the quiet summer months, when the virus seemed to temporarily loosen its hold on Connecticut.

Dr. Ulysses Wu, the system director of infectious diseases at Hartford HealthCare, said that he understands the impulse to reopen now — and that there are ways to reopen safely.

But Wu said he doesn’t agree with Lamont’s plan to drop the social distancing requirement in mid-May.

“I still believe social distancing needs to happen at this point,” he said.

The key to a safe reopening, Wu said, is for residents to continue masking, social distancing and hand washing, even after vaccination.

“Do I think we can do it? Absolutely. But we’ve got to do it safely,” Wu said.

Emily Brindley can be reached at ebrindley@courant.com.