CT Phase 2.1: Here's Everything You Need To Know

CONNECTICUT — Gov. Ned Lamont announced this week the state will roll back to some phase 2 capacity limits after an increase in coronavirus cases across the state.

Here’s what you need to know about the coming changes:

What are the changes?

• Restaurants will revert to 50 percent indoor dining capacity and a maximum of eight people per table.
• Restaurants and entertainment venues like movie theaters and bowling allies must close at 9:30 p.m. Restaurants can continue to offer delivery and takeout later.
• Personal services such as hair salons will remain at 75 percent capacity.
• Event venues are being limited to 25 people indoors and 50 people outdoors.
• Performing arts venues and movie theaters will have a max capacity of 100 people.
• Religious gatherings will be limited to 50 percent capacity or 100 people maximum.

When is this effective?

Lamont plans to sign an executive order that will make the changes effective on midnight Friday.

How have things changed?

Connecticut’s phase 3 reopening kicked off Oct. 8. One big change was the increase in indoor dining capacity from 50 percent to 75 percent. Commercial indoor private gatherings such as wedding receptions were also increased to 50 percent capacity or 100 people, whichever was less.

A week later, Lamont signed another executive order that allowed towns in the state’s red, or high-risk, zone for coronavirus activity to revert to phase 2 capacity if they wished. Towns that had 15 daily coronavirus cases per 100,000 population over a two-week rolling average were classified as red.

Lamont on Oct. 29 expanded this to towns in the orange zone with at least 10 daily cases per 100,000 people over a two-week rolling average.

Why the change?

Lamont’s original thinking was to deal with coronavirus flare-ups on a town-by-town basis. However, coronavirus spread has become significantly more widespread over the past couple weeks in Connecticut.

Connecticut rolled out the alert level system in early October and four towns were originally on the red alert list. There were 30 towns on the red alert list and 53 on the orange alert level as of Oct. 29. That means about half of Connecticut’s towns are in either the red or orange alert level.

Connecticut has also had some issues with restaurants becoming more like bars later in the night.

“Again the reason being at a certain hour some of these restaurants start acting more like a bar,” Lamont said. “We’ve had some issues at a number of these locations.”

The 9:30 p.m. cutoff will make enforcement easier for local officials, Lamont said.

Reducing capacity for indoor venues also makes it easier to enforce mask use, he said.

The hope is that reverting to phase 2.1 will help keep more of Connecticut’s economy open in the long run and allow students to continue to learn in-person for as long as possible.

What’s the deal with the stay-at-home advisory?

Lamont’s administration is recommending that people stay home from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. and end events and gatherings by 9:30 p.m. Residents are also encouraged to cancel or postpone nonessential travel.

Employers are encouraged to allow employees to work from home when possible.

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