New Color-Coded COVID-19 Guidance Issued By CDC: Here's What To Know In CT

CONNECTICUT — Many school districts across Connecticut will go mask optional starting this week after the statewide mandate ended.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also updated its mask guidance after several states announced they would end school and indoor mask mandates.

What is the new CDC mask guidance?

The CDC rolled out a new community level guidance system for counties across the U.S. The new guidance focuses more on hospital capacity and less on COVID-19 case rates. The levels are low, medium and high.

“Today’s CDC updates show just how far we have come since the early days of the pandemic,” Connecticut Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Manisha Juthani said in a statement. “We will remain vigilant and continue to monitor COVID-19 as we move to a new phase of this pandemic.”

Masks are recommended in indoor settings when a county reaches a high level. People who live in a medium risk community should consider wearing a mask if they are at high risk for severe illness.

The CDC's guidance won't affect Connecticut's mask guidance, Juthani said. It is another tool to assist local communities with decision-making.

The COVID-19 Community Level will inform CDC recommendations on prevention measures, like masking and testing. The guidelines include a color-coded system available on the CDC website of “Low,” “Medium,” and “High” which are scheduled to be updated weekly:

• Low—Green: Residents in these counties should stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines and get tested if they have symptoms.
• Medium—Yellow: Residents who are at high risk for severe illness in these counties should talk to their health care providers about when they need to wear a mask and take other precautions. These residents should also stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines and get tested if they have symptoms.
• High—Orange: Residents in these counties should wear a mask indoors in public; stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines and get tested if they have symptoms. Additional precautions may be needed for residents who are at high risk for severe illness.

What are the risk levels in Connecticut?

All Connecticut counties except Middlesex fall within the “low” CDC Covid-19 community level. Middlesex is medium.

What about school buses?

The CDC also removed its school bus mask requirement last week. School systems can still opt to require the use of masks if they wish.

How many reported COVID-19 cases are there among students and staff?

There were 513 student and 123 staff COVID-19 preK-12 cases reported between Feb. 17 and 23, according to DPH.

Cases for both students and staff have been on a downward trend since the mid-January peak.

What school systems are ending mask mandates?

Below are some school systems that have gone mask optional or are considering to go mask optional in Connecticut.

• Bethel: Mask optional.
• Brookfield: Mask optional as of March 1.
• Danbury: Decision delayed until March.
• Fairfield: Mask optional
• Greenwich: Mask optional as of March 1.
• Milford: Mask optional
• New Canaan: Mask optional
• Ridgefield: Mask optional
• Stamford: Considering mask optional as of March 2.
• Trumbull: Mask optional
• Wallingford: Mask optional
• Westport: Mask optional
• Wilton: Mask optional