CT Reopening, Restaurant Capacity Ending: What To Know

CONNECTICUT — Capacity limits at Connecticut restaurants and other businesses ended Friday as a new reopening phase kicked off.

Masks are still required at all businesses and spacing and cleaning protocols are also still in effect.

Gov. Ned Lamont said he is confident Connecticut can head off coronavirus variants by keeping up the pace of vaccinations. Around one-third of people 16 and older have received at least one vaccine dose, he said.

Lamont said the key metric for reopenings is hospital capacity, which remained sufficient this week. There were fewer than 400 coronavirus patients at Connecticut hospitals as of Monday, according to the state Department of Public Health.

Businesses

Restaurants will be allowed to operate at full indoor capacity subject to maintaining space between tables. That means many restaurants can't go back to 100 percent pre-pandemic capacity for now. Still, it’s a big change from the 50 percent capacity limit.

The 11 p.m. curfew for restaurants will remain in effect and there is an eight-person limit per table.

Capacity limits were lifted at libraries, museums, aquariums, gyms, fitness centers, retail stores, business offices, personal services and houses of worship.

Movie theaters and performing arts venues will continue to be capped at 50 percent capacity. Bars will remain closed.

Private gatherings, masks and social distancing rules still apply

Limits increased to 25 people indoors and 100 outdoors for private residences.

Private gatherings at commercial venues for events like weddings will have capacity limits of 100 people indoors and 200 outdoors. An 11 p.m. curfew is in effect.

Sports

All sports will be allowed to hold practices and tournaments will be allowed, subject to state Department of Public Health guidance.

Travel advisory

The travel advisory was changed from a mandate to guidance. Previously, people who traveled outside the region had to quarantine or show proof of a negative coronavirus test.

Lamont encouraged people to still get tested when they return from traveling, especially if they attended large social gatherings in other states.