Connecticut unveiled a reopening plan that will allow restaurants to operate at full capacity and loosen other coronavirus restrictions later this month.
Ned Lamont, the Democratic governor of Connecticut, announced the decision after the north-east state registered a sustained decline in cases and hospitalisations from a winter surge, saying officials have a better understanding now of the measures that help keep the number of infections low.
But he left open the possibility that rules could be tightened again to curb the spread of the virus.
“Was it unanimous? No,” Lamont said of the decision to roll back restrictions. “[Some said], ‘Why not wait, why not wait, there are variants we don’t know exactly, we could wait.’ But I think there was general consensus that we know what works, we know we have capacity at our hospitals, we know we can turn and change if we have to.”
Several states have eased or removed restrictions on businesses and social activity in the last few weeks following a slowdown in new Covid-19 infections and hospital admissions. Meanwhile, more Americans have been vaccinated against coronavirus, with 54m people getting at least one dose as of Thursday, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The Biden administration has urged governors to move slowly on reopening, citing concerns over new variants of coronavirus.
Connecticut’s updated rules allow restaurants, which are currently limited to 50 per cent of their occupancy, to operate with no capacity limits starting on March 19. Social distancing, mask-wearing and an 11pm dining curfew will remain in effect.
Gyms, retail stores, offices and houses of worship are among the other businesses and gathering places that will move to 100 per cent capacity.
In addition, Connecticut will remove penalties from an out-of-state travel advisory and loosen curbs on private gatherings, weddings and sports.