WEST HARTFORD, Conn. — The State Department of Public Health announced this past weekend most of the state is back in red alert status because COVID-19 cases are on the rise.
Businesses in West Hartford told FOX61 News this time around, they are well prepared for what is to come.
What used to be beach chairs and wooden tables are now used as barriers to direct customers in the one-way direction.
Playa Bowls in Blueback Square is currently operating at 50% capacity even after Gov. Ned Lamont's loosened restrictions.
With West Hartford being a hot zone again, the acai shop will continue on with its safety protocols and disinfect every half hour, offering curbside pickup, and enforce the use of masks and social distancing.
"I think that we are going to kind of keep doing what we’re doing. Stay as safe as we can," said Morgan Sinton, shift leader of Playa Bowls. "Make sure everybody’s as distanced as they can when they come in here. We also require masks as entry into our store, we have signs all over our door."
According to DPH, it is believed 40% of the recent positive cases are of the new variant which is known to be more transmissible especially among those who have yet to be vaccinated.
A chart on the DPH website showed case rates for people 70 and older have gone down. This time, there is a spike in ages 20 to 29 years old.
DPH Acting Commissioner Dr. Deidre Gifford believed the warm weather is contributing to the rise.
"We know with the weather getting warmer and with more of us being vaccinated and all of us being fatigued from a year of the pandemic, we're hearing some concerns from clinicians that they see people letting their guard down," said Dr. Giffrod.
When the weather is warm, the motivation to exercise kicks in.
Cycle Bar is owned by two sisters who refused to let the pandemic close their doors.
"They come to us and say you’re not going to close, are you? It’s almost a desperation," said Cheryl Rocco, co-owner of Cycle Bar.
To them, it is not just about cycling.
"We view it as a mental health facility as well as a physical ride here," said Diana Reimer, co-owner of Cycle Bar.
Even with the green light to operate at 100% capacity, they decided to stick with 50% which has made nine bikes available spaced six feet apart.
"The members themselves are very concerned about one another so if they come in contact with someone, they don’t come in. They call us. We have several doctors and nurses and healthcare professionals in our membership base, so they’re giving us their information and a lot of our club are vaccinated," added Rocco.
Vaccines will open up Thursday for people 16 and older, but Dr. Gifford said safety protocols should still be practiced until numbers show it is okay to ease up.
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