- Governor Ned Lamont says there are no plans for further business restrictions despite a recent appeal from a group of doctors
- A group of medical doctors has asked the governor to shut down indoor dining and gyms in order to prevent hospitals from being overwhelmed with COVID-19 cases
- Connecticut remains in Phase 2.1 of its reopening, allowing businesses to operate at reduced capacity
Governor Ned Lamont says there are no plans for new restrictions on Connecticut businesses after a group of medical professionals called for a shutdown of restaurants and gyms. However, Lamont says he’ll continue to monitor the data in an effort to balance public health and the state’s economy.
Thirty-five doctors and nurses recently signed a letter to Lamont warning that Connecticut hospitals could reach capacity in as little as one week due to increasing COVID-19 cases. The letter says that hospitals are already being taxed by COVID-19 hospitalizations even though it is early in the state’s second wave of infections.
The medical professionals are asking Lamont to temporarily shut down gyms and indoor dining, saying they allow for easier transmission of the virus. They are also asking Lamont to prevent unnecessary gatherings.
Connecticut is currently in Phase 2.1 of its reopening plan, stepping back to the modified version of Phase 2 after briefly relaxing restrictions. This phase permits restaurants to serve patrons indoors at 50 percent capacity with adequate social distancing. Lamont recently modified rules on gyms and fitness centers to require masks at all times and limit fitness classes to 25 percent capacity.
Lamont says he is considering the input from both the medical community and business owners in an effort, and will continue to monitor hospital data on capacities and staffing levels. He says he believes hospitals are currently capable of meeting the increased caseloads and that field hospitals could quickly be established if necessary.
According to the state’s latest COVID-19 numbers, issued Monday, Connecticut has 1,098 patients hospitalized with the virus, an increase of 89 from Friday. Another 59 people died from the virus over the weekend, with the state’s total death toll from COVID-19 surpassing 5,000.
