On the day Connecticut began Phase 1 of its reopening plan, Gov. Ned Lamont provided an update on coronavirus cases in the state in a news conference Wednesday afternoon.
Connecticut saw another day of a decline in net coronavirus-related hospitalizations. The number of hospitalizations dropped by 27 on Wednesday.
There were 587 new COVID-19 cases in the state, bringing the total to 39,017. Connecticut also saw 57 more fatalities. The death toll now stands at 3,529.
Next Reopening Phases
In Phase 2 of his plans, Lamont said the following would be opening. He set the target date for Phase 2 as June 20.
- Accommodation (no bar areas)
- Gyms, fitness & sports clubs
- All personal services (nail salons, tattoo parlors)
- Outdoor arts, entertainment, and events (up to 50 people)
- Outdoor amusement parks
- Movie theaters
- Bowling alleys
- Social clubs, pools
- All museums, zoos, aquariums
- Restaurants (indoor dining, no bar)
Phase 3, according to the governor, would come at a later date in the summer, potentially in late July. The businesses to open in Phase 3 include:
- Bars
- Indoor event spaces & venues
- Indoor amusement parks & arcades
- Outdoor events (up to 100 people)
Local
Education & Community Services
In addition to businesses, Gov. Lamont also details plans to restart some education programs and services that are provided across the state. Some of those that will restart in Phase 2 are:
- Selected youth sports (June 20)
- All summer day camps (June 22)
- Public libraries (June 20)
- Nonresidential workforce programs (mid-June)
- Nonresidential clinical/laboratory courses (mid-June)
- K-12 summer school (July 6)
- Other nonresidential programs (July/Aug)
- Graduate programs (July/Aug)
- Undergraduate residential small-scale pilot programs (July/Aug)
Gov. Lamont said undergraduate residential programs at colleges, K-12 schools, and boarding schools will all be decisions made at a later date.
Casinos Set Reopening Date
Gov. Lamont said he believes that is a bad idea.
"I think that’s incredibly risky and it's risky for the people that work at the casinos, it’s risky for the people that go to the casinos, it’s risky for the region because you have a lot of employees who go back out through the region,” Lamont said Wednesday.
The governor was joined at the news conference by the co-chairs of the Reopen CT Advisory Board, former Pepsico CEO Indra Nooyi and Department Chair and Professor of Epidemiology and of Medicine at Yale School of Medicine, Dr. Albert Ko.
The advisory board came up with the phases for reopening. The submitted their final report to the governor and the board will be disbanded.
