Gov. Ned Lamont said Connecticut is following CDC guidance in ending the indoor mask mandate for people who are fully vaccinated starting May 19.
The decision comes after the CDC announced Thursday that fully vaccinated people can stop wearing masks in most indoor settings.
The state of Connecticut is getting ready to lift most remaining COVID-related restrictions that have been in place since the beginning of the pandemic and more people are eligible to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
Get top local stories in Connecticut delivered to you every morning. Sign up for NBC Connecticut's News Headlines newsletter.
Thursday was the first day that children as young as 12 years old are eligible for the vaccine.
Also on May 19, the governor is lifting remaining COVID-19 restrictions. These restrictions include size limits and social distancing rules for businesses, such as large event venues, bars and nightclubs.
In addition to stopping the mask mandate, the governor also announced that executive branch customer-facing offices in Connecticut will be fully reopened by June 1.
By July 1, the state will return to pre-COVID teleworking models, with employees back to the office at least 50%, according to Lamont.
COVID-19 Numbers and Vaccine Data
Lamont said the state's positivity rate is 1.57% and hospitalizations are down by 22 since Wednesday. There are now 222 total coronavirus-related hospitalizations.
An additional seven deaths have been reported, bringing the state's death toll to 8,168.
Of nearly 30,000 tests, 471 came back positive.
On Wednesday, Connecticut's COVID-19 test positive rate was 1.05%.
Approximately 1.6 million people are now fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and nearly 2 million people have received their first dose of the vaccine.
The governor said walk-up vaccination clinics are widely available across the state. Many schools are holding clinics to vaccinate kids 12 and 15 years old. In addition, there are several mass vaccination sites, pharmacies and mobile clinics open to state residents, Lamont said.
How to Get an Appointment for a COVID-19 Vaccine in Connecticut
By phone: Call Connecticut’s Vaccine Appointment Assist Line at 877-918-2224, seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. for scheduling at select sites.
Online: Schedule a COVID-19 vaccination appointment in VAMS, the Vaccine Administration Management System.
- Fill out the form to let the Department of Public health know you are interested in creating an account in VAMS. If you are currently eligible to receive the vaccine then you should receive an email from VAMS to complete your registration within 12 hours. Click here to create an account.
- Check for an email from no-reply@mail.vams.cdc.gov. Click on the link in the email and create your account. You will be prompted to retrieve a code that will be emailed to you. You will need to create a password and store it in a safe place.
- If you forgot your password, the "forgot password" link on the login page can only be used if you have created a password as part of your VAMS registration.
- Complete your VAMS registration.
- The first question that will be asked in VAMS is “Have you already registered as a vaccine recipient with VAMS?” The answer to this question is “No.”
- Questions with a red asterisk are mandatory.
- Insurance information does not need to be entered.
- You will be prompted to share some additional information about yourself.
- In order for VAMS to recognize your option chosen for race, click on your choice in the box on the left and click the right-pointing arrow to move your choice to the box on the right.
- Use your zip code to search for clinics near you in VAMS.
- The system will automatically search for clinics within a 10-mile radius of your zip code, but you may choose up to 100 miles from the dropdown menu, which might provide more clinic locations in your search results.
- You might need to check multiple clinic locations to find an available appointment. Find a slot that works for you, and book your appointment.
