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Manchester, other towns lift mask mandates

Towns that implemented mask requirements in August are watching COVID numbers and trying to make the right call at the right time.

MANCHESTER, Conn. — As the pandemic continues, local governments are revisiting their face covering policies. The town of Manchester lifted its indoor mask mandate Friday -- and so did Danbury and Brookfield. The town of Glastonbury also lifted its mask mandate recently.

Manchester Mayor Jay Moran told FOX61 the town felt they were in a healthy place to lift the mandate after seeing improved COVID-19 numbers. The town's cases dropped down to the 'yellow zone', which they feel is a safe time for citizens to remove their masks indoors if they want to.

“We still recommend that you wear it inside but it’s not mandatory in businesses, only in our public buildings,” Moran said.

The mayor said businesses have the right to ask customers to wear their masks if they want. “Some businesses might do that, there’s a lot of businesses that wanted to have it removed because the towns around us had removed it already so it made it confusing for a lot of our citizens,” Moran said.

Around Connecticut, cities and towns have various policies. After the state dropped its mask mandate, Governor Lamont allowed towns to institute their own.

RELATED: Capitol area towns and cities request statewide indoor mask mandate

RELATED: Southeast Connecticut Council of Governments urge Lamont to issue statewide indoor mask mandate

But the local rules created confusion for some. The face-covering requirements are drawing mixed reviews from people we spoke with.

“I think it’s okay to a point but I think they go a little crazy with it, like they make such a—more of what it is. But I wear my mask when I go, out of respect,” Katie McDonough from Manchester said.

“While I’m outdoors, I don’t feel like I need one but if I’m inside, anywhere, public space, regardless of a mandate, I feel safer masking up,” Stacey Duzan from Manchester said.

The mayor said 80 percent of eligible residents vaccinated, 98 percent of those 65 and older, but he says we still have to be careful.

“Under 12 years old, they still are not vaccinated so we have to be very careful around them and we should wear our masks around them because we want to protect our children still,” Moran said.

RELATED: New Haven officials say businesses are taking city's mask mandate seriously

Mask mandates are still in effect in neighboring East Hartford. And drive over the town line to South Windsor, and you’ll still have to mask up indoors unless you’re eating or drinking, or if you’re vaccinated and socially distanced, according to the town’s September guidance.

In a report issued Thursday, South Windsor's Town Manager said are watching the COVID numbers very closely. "We have been a yellow town for a little more than a week and need to be for another two full weeks before we can end the mask mandate. It is important to note that our community, while yellow, is surrounded by communities that are orange. There are multiple factors to this including the mask mandate and early vaccination efforts to name a few."

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