CONNECTICUT – Governor Ned Lamont brought about future changes in capacity limits in restaurants, shops and personal services, as well as easing restrictions on state travel advice. More information will be released on Thursday about all of the above, Lamont said.
“We will be able to make some announcements in terms of a cautious reopening in terms of capacity for our stores and restaurants, in retail and in personal service,” he said.
Lamont is talking to other governors about loosening travel consultancy restrictions as well, he said.
The rate of positive testing for coronavirus in Connecticut was about 2.6 percent in the last seven days and hospitalizations for coronavirus fell to 417 patients, the minimum in four months.
Most of Massachusetts entered a new phase of reopening on Monday, with no percentage capacity limit in restaurants. The tables will still need to be spaced 6 feet apart or separated by partitions. Many other companies will be able to expand up to 50% of capacity.
Meanwhile, the increase in vaccine qualification in Connecticut got off to a rather tricky start, with some people complaining that they were unable to make an appointment.
Connecticut opened vaccination appointment registrations for people between 55 and 64 years old.
“It will probably take a week or more, so I ask you to be patient,” said Lamont of people who have failed to make an appointment. “… if you can telecommute, or don’t have a lot of urgency there, give others a chance to move on.”
“Tens of thousands” of new appointments were made on Monday, he said.
About 500,000 Connecticut residents are between 55 and 64 years old and the state typically receives about 100,000 first doses of vaccine each week, Lamont said. It will probably take a few weeks to move through the age group, assuming about 70 percent of people want the vaccine.
The state will receive an unexpected shipment of about 39,000 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine in the coming days. The doses will be widely used in clinics for educators and daycare centers, which will allow the doses scheduled for the end of the month to be increased, said state chief of operations Josh Geballe.
About one in five Connecticut residents received at least one dose of the vaccine by Monday, according to the state Department of Public Health. About 75% of residents aged 75 or over and half of residents aged 65 to 74 received at least one dose.
The vaccine mark will be visible during the consultation registration process, said Geballe. So far, there seems to be a high demand for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, as there have been many more requests from clinics than the doses available.
The Johnson & Johnson vaccine requires only one dose.
Concerns about actions
Connecticut had committed to administering at least 25% of its vaccine supply to people living in the state’s 50 most disadvantaged CEPs. Work is also being done to better track the race and ethnicity of people receiving the vaccine, Lamont said.
Lamont has received some criticism that the age-based vaccine system will lead to inequality, as the state’s minority population tends to lean towards the younger side.
Black and Hispanic residents also die at disproportionate rates compared to white residents of the same age, according to the CT Mirror.
Lamont argued during his press conference on Monday that adding essential workers to the front line and people with health comorbidities would increase the number of eligible residents to more than 1.5 million people at once – people with means and better access would end up getting the vaccine before those who didn’t, he said.
“Sometimes it is considered to be a false choice between speed and equity,” he said. “But, first of all, simplicity means that no one can fool the system, simplicity means that there are no line jumpers.”