State Re-Opening Plan
Now that the state has experienced about two weeks of a downward trend in new COVID-19 hospitalizations, the Governor and an advisory council charged with re-opening the state have set a goal of May 20 for the beginning of the process.
While I am grateful to the Governor for his leadership and caution to date, I am concerned this phased-in plan may be too early, and I share the concern of some fellow legislators that we do not yet have conclusive evidence that it is truly safe. I believe until we have an abundance of PPEs, and testing for everyone, even a partial re-opening is premature.
It's critical to note that infections in our part of the state have not yet peaked, so I believe this phase-in should have taken geography into account. Additionally, as I have heard from some small business owners and arts/tourism folks, the advisory panel should have had representatives from both groups.
If you are interested, here is an op-ed (opinion piece) I wrote about the push to re-open, which appeared in today's Connecticut Examiner.
Finally, I urge everyone not to see this phased-in re-opening as the "all clear" signal to doff our masks and hang out in groups. It is still much too soon for that.
KEY Points that will contribute to the decision to begin opening the state:
- A 14-day decline in hospitalizations
- Increased testing
- Enough contact tracing
- Protection for those at highest risk,
- Adequate protective equipment and hospital capacity
- Social distancing protocols
I will keep you updated as we make progress and more details are released by the governor's advisory group.
While most of us are eager to resume our daily activities and interact with family and friends again, we must do so responsibly. We cannot have a robust economy if the infection rates start to rise again.