CT Readers Mostly Support Lamont's Pandemic Efforts

CONNECTICUT — Across the world, as some regions begin to loosen year-old coronavirus restrictions and others regress into tighter lockdowns, the careers of political leaders are being made, or scuttled. Here in Connecticut, Gov. Ned Lamont's pandemic-fueled star is on the rise, according to a recent survey by Patch.

Lamont signed his first coronavirus-related executive order in March 2020, limiting the size of gatherings to 250 people, waiving the 180-day school year requirement, and authorizing the DMV to extend renewal deadlines. Since then, similar edicts have come flying out of Hartford at a furious pace. Are they keeping us safe? Or chipping away at our rights?

Most readers who responded to the Patch survey gave Lamont high marks on his pandemic performance, and many said they were pleasantly surprised. But a better than fair amount were critical, especially on school-related matters.

Readers were asked to assign Lamont "A", "B," "C," "D" or "F" letter grades — with "A" being the highest score and "F" being the lowest — in various areas.

Patch received 3,159 responses to the survey. The survey is meant not to be a scientific poll, but only to give a broad idea of public sentiment.

Over 67 percent of Patch readers who responded to the survey graded Gov. Lamont's overall pandemic response with a "B" or better.

It was a tough time to be governor. Gatherings of people were restricted, business hours were curtailed, and tempers were short while emotions were high. Mask-wearing and social distancing rules were invented, tinkered with, and sometimes abandoned. The playing field was anything but level. Restaurants were open, after a fashion, but bars were not, and many felt that religious congregations were unfairly targeted. Hair and nail salons were allowed to open, until they weren't. Schools were left to make their own opening decisions locally.

Many readers who took the survey seemed to appreciate that the times, and the necessary efforts, were extraordinary:

"..it is easy to second guess in hindsight. He was doing the best he could with a novel disease and with the information that was being provided at the time."

"I appreciated that Lamont kept business open despite high pressure to fully lock down. I wish every political leader had opened up as soon as the information was available that lockdowns are not effective-only harmful."

A recurring theme among the responses, pro and con, was that the Connecticut gorvernor should have "paid less attention to" New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Early on in the state's pandemic response, Lamont made it clear that he was coordinating, if not moving in lockstep, with other regional governors. Later, as infection rates among the states in the northeast began to diverge, Connecticut began to cut its own course through the jungle.

"Whatever the other governors do, is not necessarily correct for CT," one reader said, while another accused the Connecticut governor of being "Cuomo's lapdog."

Residents praised Lamont for "following the science," but there were differing opinions on what the science actually is: "Lockdowns to stop an airborne virus is the stupidest thing I have ever heard. WHO has come out against their effectiveness."

Others said the science wasn't yet complete, and went into detail about how the products from Moderna and Pfizer aren't really vaccines ("First of all it is NOT a vaccine, it is a gene therapy...") in the strictest technical sense.

One reader summed up much of the wait-and-see sentiment: "More science needs to be done before mass vaccinating a population. Fearing people into getting something that has never been done or studied in humans is irresponsible."

It's fair to say that the governor's biggest fans sit among those who favor the strictest regulations.

Of those that scored Lamont with an "A," most said the lockdown still should have been longer. Many others said that mask mandates should have started earlier and been more strictly enforced.

"Arrest more mask deniers," one reader demanded, one of many critiquing Lamont for the absence of any local police crackdowns on the maskless. "More restrictions and fines early on" would have stopped the initial spread, one reader said.

Ideologies aside, if you and your family were healthy and making money during the pandemic, you likely gave the governor a passing grade. But how that balance between safety and prosperity was struck prompted the sharpest and most pointed comments.

Many who gave Lamont's overall performance during the pandemic an "A" grade still chided him for his lifting of most capacity restrictions in March.

"If he would have ... held out for only one more month instead of jumping the gun to reopen on March, then April and May would have been much better for businesses and individuals. His lack of leadership and refusal to encourage self-discipline in March will significantly adversely impact the state..." wrote one reader.

Another said: "He started off strong but then appeared to cave to outside pressures rather than actual public health. The March 19 openings and sudden shift in what metrics are focused on I think has done real damage and is possibly out shined the good done at the start..."

Many others felt Lamont waited too long, pointing to many businesses that shuttered with no intentions now to reopen.

"The Governor contributed significantly to the destruction of the economy as well as the exploding mental health crisis," according to one Patch reader.

Still, "haters gonna hate," and it's worth noting there was a large number of readers who made a point of telling us they weren't Lamont fans before the pandemic, but are now. Here's a sampling of their comments:

"Let me start by saying I do not always agree with the Governor's economic policies that said, I do believe Governor Lamont balanced the needs of CT businesses with the need to keep people socially distanced and in lockdown when necessary."

"I'm not a fan of his political view - but he has done an exceptional job keeping us opening while balancing safety. "

"I wasn't sure of Gov. Lamont when he was first elected but I am now thoroughly impressed... and I like that he is flexible, will listen and actually make changes to his original plans to meet people's concerns. I am now a Gov Lamont fan!

"I did not vote for him, but I think he has done a phenomenal job handling the pandemic."

"I am registered Republican. I vote for candidates of both parties or whomever I feel will do the best job. I have been impressed with how Governor Lamont has handled the coronavirus pandemic. A very difficult job that he handled well!"

The responses were more evenly split, and far less supportive, on the matter of how schools were handled during the pandemic.

Recognizing that coronavirus infection rates would vary wildly throughout the state over the course of the pandemic, Lamont allowed school districts to decide how they would reopen and stay open. Attendance models — full in-person, completely remote, or a mix of both — continue to vary district by district and week by week, as determined by local superintendents and health departments.

The majority of Patch readers seemed they would have been more comfortable with the state mandating their district's attendance model — as long as it was the one they favored:

"Children should have been able to attend school in person with rare exceptions. The teacher unions are too influential."

"Allowing schools to open and pushing them to open is putting more families at risk. Children carry the virus home to grandparents or parents and they become sick."

"Schools need to be open immediately. Teachers don’t teach, they are fired. Our kids are priority. Nothing else."

"Beyond a shadow of doubt he showed no compassion or concern about our teachers and students. It was get them back in the classroom ASAP so parents can get back to work. He used school as daycare."

"Public schools were closed and private and religious schools were open. Absolutely idiotic and followed no science."

Many readers used the comment section on the school question to give us their opinion on how teachers were prioritized for vaccines,shoehorned into the top of the age 55+ tier. Most who gave their opinion felt teachers should have been vaccinated first, or at least earlier. Many others wanted to see the students vaccinated before schools were reopened, an impossibility as vaccines for even the oldest tier of that age group only just became available last week.

Over 72 percent of the readers gave Lamont a "B" grade or better for the rollout of the vaccine.

For some, the governor was a hero because he blazed a trail away from the vaccine rollout recommendations offered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ("His age based vaccine rollout was brilliant — kudos to him for finding a more practical and efficient way to get everyone vaccinated!").

Others were less impressed by Lamont's outside-the-box approach: "The governor made a crucial error with age-based vaccine rollout. My husband and myself, both 32, have health conditions making us high-risk. (Him - a double lung transplant, and me - pregnancy). Our household is still struggling. I reached out to Gov. Lamont's office twice and never received a response to my concerns."

Reader reaction to the online registration system for vaccine appointments was evenly mixed. About half said they sailed through the process, and the remainder used terms such as "chaotic," "sketchy" or "nightmare" to describe the experience.

Once all the squabbling over who was/who wasn't an essential worker was over, an appointment with a vaccine jabber became the hottest ticket in the state.

It Ain't Over 'Til It's Over

Responses to the Patch survey gave every indication that, as contentious as the politics were during the lockdowns, the social divisiveness ignited by the pandemic in the state has only just begun:

"There should be strong continual guidance / reminders coming out of the governor's office that emphasizes that even though someone has been vaccinated, they MUST continue to practice established COVID protocol: masks, social distancing, handwashing. Many people view being vaccinated as a 'go ahead' to get back to what they were doing before the pandemic."

Of course, that school of thought presumes everyone is getting vaccinated, and Patch readers made it clear that is a loser's bet. Over 7 percent of those who responded to the survey say they have no intention of getting vaccinated against COVID-19, and many seemed happy to explain their rationale:

"Needs more time and the virus has a 99% survival rate," one reader said. "Had friends elderly and young that supposedly had the COVID. They all said the flu was worse. Too many variables with these tests."

The potential for the cure being worse than the disease was a common touchstone:

"I am a healthy, fairly young person and I am afraid... to put something foreign in my body that we still do not know about, those long-term effects. The FDA takes years to approve things, but this vaccine is approved? I barely will take an Advil; if I don't have to, I don't. If everyone is washing their hands and cleaning, as well as those with health risks getting the vaccine, then it should be fine."

It's far from fine for a cadre of adamant pro-vaxxers among the responders who did not find any problem with redrawing society along vaccinated/unvaccinated lines. At least one seemed to relish the idea: "I have had both vaccine doses. And I strongly believe all adults should be vaccinated!! If they refuse.... no air travel, no office settings, no gym presence, no teaching or entrance into a school. They should be isolated from the rest of us..."

Many who have no philosophical or medical issues with the vaccine drew their line in the sand at so-called vaccine passports, digitally documented proof of vaccination that some proponents see as vital for some businesses to completely reopen. Lamont has praised the initiative, predicting it will be championed by the private sector and give a lot more people an incentive to get vaccinated.

"I would have given Lamont an 'A' if I didn't hear that he is proposing a vaccination passport. I am a Republican and I have supported and commended Lamont throughout this pandemic," one reader said. "If the vaccine is so effective, why are people who are vaccinated so afraid of people who are not? Why propose vaccinated/unvaccinated sections at restaurants...?"