Politics & Government
CT Outdoor Coronavirus Reopening May 1: What To Know
People can buy a drink without a food purchase for the first time in more than a year at Connecticut restaurants and bars.
CONNECTICUT — Bar patrons will be able to grab a pint of beer or glass of wine without buying food for the first time in more than a year come Saturday. May 1 marks the return of bars that don’t serve food in Connecticut.
Gov. Ned Lamont announced the reopening in mid-April and in many ways it will bring about a sense of normalcy for outdoor service.
What rules are changing May 1?
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- Bars that don’t serve food will be allowed to open on an outdoor basis only.
- Table party limits outdoors will be eliminated.
- The curfew for restaurants, entertainment venues and movie theaters will move from 11 p.m. to midnight.
Why the changes?
Lamont said he wanted to start with the easing of outdoor regulations because viral transmission is much less likely.
Find out what's happening in Across Connecticutfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
“I think we could do it safely because we’re doing it outdoors,” he said April 19 when he unveiled the plan. “…I think it’ll be really comfortable to be outdoors and safe to be outdoors.”
What about the state’s mask mandate?
Lamont has aligned the state’s mask mandate with recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.
Outdoor mask use isn’t necessary for fully-vaccinated people, unless they are in a very crowded area, according to the CDC.
Connecticut will keep its indoor mask mandate for businesses for the time being, Lamont said. Many businesses wanted to avoid ambiguity.
What changes happen May 19?
All coronavirus business regulations will go away except for the indoor mask mandate.
What is the current coronavirus situation in Connecticut?
The state has made great strides in cutting down its infection rate in the past couple of weeks. Connecticut had an average of 22.1 daily coronavirus cases per 100,000 population between April 11 and 24, according to the state Department of Public Health. The seven-day rate is even better at 20 daily cases per 100,000 population, according to the New York Times.
Connecticut is down to an average of 709 cases per day, which is the lowest it has been since early March.
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