Report by Paula Antolini, March 20, 2020, 9:08PM EDT
Governor Directs All Non-Essential Functions in Connecticut to Suspend In-Person Operations Beginning 8PM Monday; Governor Provides Updated Guidance to Individuals and New Order Affecting Businesses
(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that part of the ongoing civil preparedness and public health emergency caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, he is directing Connecticut residents to “Stay Safe, Stay at Home.”
Under today’s executive order, the governor is directing all non-essential businesses and not-for-profit entities in Connecticut to prohibit all in-person functions if they are able to, effective Monday, March 23, 2020 at 8:00 p.m. The governor is encouraging all businesses to employ, to the maximum extent possible, any telecommuting or work-from-home procedures that they can safely implement.
The order excludes any essential business or entity providing essential services or functions, such as healthcare, food service, law enforcement, and similar critical services.
The Office of the Governor is working in concert with the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development to develop guidance for all businesses relating to this order. That guidance will be released over the weekend.
“At this critical time it is essential that everyone just stay home so we can contain the spread of this virus while keeping essential services running,” Governor Lamont said. “I know that this will be disruptive to many and will bring many daily activities to a halt, but the only way we will be able to mitigate the impacts of this public health emergency is to take measures like this. I appreciate everyone’s cooperation, and I especially want to thank the essential workers who are needed to keep critical services running.”
The governor is calling this his “Stay Safe, Stay Home” initiative. The plan recommends that state residents do the following:
- Effective at 8PM on Monday, March 23, all non-essential businesses statewide should close;
- Non-essential public community gatherings of individuals of any size for any reason should be canceled (e.g. parties, celebrations or other social events) are canceled or postponed at this time;
- If you must leave your home, do not travel in groups -groups must be limited to workers providing essential services;
- Everyone should keep at least six feet away from each other whenever possible;
- Businesses and entities that provide other essential services should implement rules that help facilitate social distancing of at least six feet;
- Individuals should limit outdoor recreational activities to non-contact and avoid activities where they come in close contact with other people;
- Individuals should limit use of public transportation to when absolutely necessary and should limit potential exposure by spacing out at least six feet from other riders;
- Sick individuals should not leave their home except to fill critical needs or to receive medical care, and only after a telehealth visit to determine if leaving the home is in the best interest of their health;
- Young people should also practice social distancing and avoid contact with vulnerable populations; and
- Use precautionary sanitizer practices such as using soap and water, hand sanitizer, or isopropyl alcohol wipes. Washing hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds works best.
The businesses for which this order applies shall include, but not be limited to, the 16 critical infrastructure sectors as defined by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which are available at www.cisa.gov/critical-infrastructure-sectors. For more information, refer to the text of the executive order.
**Download: Governor Lamont’s Executive Order No. 7H
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