With Rollbacks Happening, Health Director Recognizes 'Change Is Not Easy' - The Newtown Bee

“The change is welcome, but not easy.”

That is the latest affirmation from Newtown Health District Director Donna Culbert, 24 hours into the great rollback — the most widespread relaxation of virus prevention rules and mandates since Connecticut, and Newtown, registered the first few COVID-19 infections early last year.

Since then, and up to May 20, Culbert has administered or overseen 2,113 coronavirus cases and mourned 66 residents lost to the pandemic, while her counterparts across the state have amassed almost 346,000 COVID-19 cases and 8,204 deaths. With statewide positivity running at or below 2% for well over a week, on that date just 145 individuals were hospitalized with the virus, as the memory of Connecticut’s hospitals straining at capacity with packed intensive care units begins to fade.

On May 19, most standing restrictions about masks were dropped and most capacity caps were eliminated or further relaxed.

That said, Culbert is still sensitive to the many residents locally who may still be comfortable wearing face coverings, even outdoors, as well as maintaining other precautions against spreading or contracting one of the virus variants still affecting the state and region.

“We want people to feel good about going at their own pace,” Culbert said. “This is a big change, it’s a drastic change, but the relaxing of mask requirements shows just how far we’ve come. Some are thrilled, but I know many others are still concerned, and a few are still extremely worried.”

The local health director hopes those who never maintained strict protective measures, or who have up to now shunned the idea of getting vaccinated, can be tolerant and accepting of those who are still vigilant.

“We hope people will be patient. A lot of us won’t be in the same place at the same time regarding these rollbacks. Change is welcome — it’s not easy, but we do have to change. I hope folks will just be kind to one another. I think there will be bumps in that road, and I am still seeing a lot of people choosing to wear masks, but we’ll come together.”

Culbert said as masks are coming off members of the general public, she and her staff continue to field many calls from local businesses about how they can expand their services and capacities as safely as possible.

“We are getting a lot of calls for direction from businesses, as well as schools, about how they will handle end-of-the-year activities,” she said. “We’ve been told that some businesses are still keeping a mask request in place, and will continue doing that for some time. Those business operators need to listen to their customers as well as their staff members.”

Culbert said businesses need to take a good look at a number of factors to determine how they will structure their place as restrictions are rolled back officially.

“We don’t know who has been vaccinated, and we’re not planning to require that proof,” she said.

As of May 17, the state had provided at least an initial first vaccination to 3,593,511 residents, and announced that 92% of those over the age of 65; 81% of those between 55 and 64; 69% of those between 45 and 54; 62% of those between 35 and 44; 53% of those between 25 and 34; 48% of those between 18 and 24; 52% of those between 16 and 18; and 12% of those between 12 and 15 have received vaccinations.

All Connecticut residents over the age of 12 are currently eligible to receive the vaccines. To locate a vaccination clinic, visit ct.gov/covidvaccine.

Latest State Guidance

The state has released a four-page document intended to be a roadmap on rollbacks, one day following Governor Ned Lamont signing a declaration renewing the public health and civil preparedness emergencies that were enacted to enable the state to provide an adequate response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The declaration will remain in effect through July 20 pursuant to legislation that was recently approved by the Connecticut General Assembly.

On May 13, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) made significant changes to their guidance for mask-wearing based on accumulating data about COVID-19 infections in vaccinated and unvaccinated people. Lamont then announced that mask rules would be relaxed on May 19 for residents and visitors to Connecticut who are fully vaccinated.

A person is fully vaccinated when 14 days have passed since their final dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Based on scientific information collected when the COVID-19 vaccines that are currently approved for use in the US were being developed, it was clear that vaccinated people were much less likely to suffer from severe complications, hospitalization, or death if they became infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2).

Based on new information collected since COVID-19 vaccinations began in the US and other countries, it is now known that even if they are exposed to people who have COVID-19, vaccinated people are very unlikely to become infected compared to unvaccinated people; and if they do become infected, fully vaccinated people are less likely to transmit virus to others (even if those people are unvaccinated).

According to the latest state guidance, all people (vaccinated or unvaccinated):

• Need to wear a mask inside a school building (pre-K–12) or child care facility;

• Need to wear a mask inside a health care facility (doctors’ offices, hospitals, emergency care settings, physical/occupational therapy settings, and other patient care settings);

• Need to wear a mask inside an assisted living facility, a correctional facility, or other congregate living setting such as group homes and residential care homes or homeless and other shelters. Nursing homes must follow CMS requirements for mask use;

• Need to wear a mask at a transportation hub, such as an airport, bus or train station, or riding public or privately hired transportation, such as a train, bus, airplane, or ride-sharing service such as Uber, Lyft, or a taxi; and

• Need to wear a mask if they are asked to do so in a public or private establishment, if required by their employer in their workplace, or when organizers require masks at any event.

This is because:

• These settings may be more likely to have people there who are not able to be vaccinated due to young age or a health condition;

• These settings may be more likely to have people there who are at a higher risk for severe complications if they become infected;

• These settings may make it more difficult for people to keep their distance and may include unvaccinated and infected people; and

• The owner’s or operator’s preference may be to exercise caution in protecting health without needing to keep people appropriately distanced or needing to determine whether or not a person is vaccinated.

Adults And Children

If vaccinated, adults and children:

• Can feel comfortable with no mask or social distancing both indoors and outdoors.

• Do not need to quarantine from work, school, or away from other people if they are exposed to someone with COVID-19 and do not have any symptoms themselves.

• Do not need to get tested routinely (e.g., as part of their work), before or after travel, or when they are exposed to someone with COVID-19 and do not have any symptoms themselves.

This is because:

• Even if they are exposed to someone with COVID-19, they are very unlikely to get infected.

• Even if they get infected, they are very unlikely to get sick or have serious disease.

• Even if they get infected, they are less likely to infect someone else.

If unvaccinated, adults and children:

• Are required to wear a mask indoors.

• Should continue to wear a mask outdoors when they are in a crowd, at a large event, or in a public place where keeping their distance from others is difficult.

• Should continue to quarantine from work, school, and away from other people if they are exposed to someone with COVID-19.

• Should continue to get tested when they are exposed to someone with COVID-19, before and after they travel, and if they are part of a screening testing program (e.g. as part of their work).

This is because:

• If they are exposed to someone with COVID-19, they are at risk of getting infected.

• If they become infected, they can suffer from severe disease and possibly be hospitalized.

• If they become infected, they can transmit the virus to other people.

• If they become infected, they can pose a serious risk to other individuals who are not yet vaccinated or cannot get vaccinated.

Finally, For Businesses

Business Owners and Event Operators:

• Should consider requiring customers to wear a mask when they are inside an establishment or at a large indoor event or private gathering if the space is not designed for continuous social distancing. If not specifically required, consider posting signage indicating that unvaccinated customers are required to wear a mask and any customer is invited to wear a mask if they are more comfortable doing so.

• Should consider requiring customers/attendees to wear a mask when they are inside an establishment or at a large indoor event or private gathering where there is likely to be a mix of vaccinated and unvaccinated people (including children younger than 12 years).

• Should consider requiring attendees to wear a mask when at large outdoor events open to the public and/or where large crowds are expected and unvaccinated people (including children younger than 12 years) are likely to be in attendance.

• Should require employees to wear a mask if they are unvaccinated or their vaccination status is unknown and they cannot maintain continuous separation from customers or coworkers.

• Should consider redesigning the space inside an establishment or at a large indoor event or private gathering to allow for continuous social distancing (or even extended distancing) when masks use may not be possible or practical (for example while eating/drinking or exercising).

• Should consider incorporating CDC’s recommendations for cleaning/disinfection, hand hygiene, and ventilation inside their establishments to maximize safety for unvaccinated customers and staf.

• Should plan for reduced capacity (including denying entry to valid ticket holders) if a large outdoor event must be moved indoors and there are likely to be unvaccinated people (including children younger than 12 years) in attendance.

This is because:

• There is currently no convenient, reliable, and consistent way to determine a person’s COVID-19 vaccination status.

• Many people who are infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 have no symptoms but can spread the virus to other people who are not fully vaccinated.

• Even though community infection rates are declining in Connecticut, there are still many vulnerable residents and communities in the state who are not fully vaccinated and could be severely impacted by COVID-19.

• There is a continuing risk that businesses and large events could be a source of significant COVID-19 outbreaks in situations where universal masking is not in use, many people remain unvaccinated, and appropriate spacing between customers, attendees, and staff cannot be maintained.

Associate Editor John Voket can be reached at john@thebee.com.

A sign continues to encourage passersby of a home on Valley Field Road South. —Bee Photo, Hicks

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