NEW HAVEN, Conn. — The city of New Haven is revising its indoor mask mandate.
Mayor Justin Elicker (D-New Haven) announced Friday that the city will lift the mask mandate for public indoor spaces on March 7.
This decision comes as New Haven health officials saw COVID cases significantly decrease this month after the city's omicron surge in January.
"Today we are happy to report that we are averaging 12 (COVID) cases per 100,000 (people), which is a 96.6% decrease from the January peak," said Maritza Bond, New Haven's Health Director.
Businesses, which include restaurants and gyms, will have the option to choose to enforce their own mask policies.
The mask mandate in schools will remain in effect in New Haven, even after Feb. 28 when the statewide school mask mandate will come to an end.
"In New Haven public schools our vaccination rate among young people is still too low and we have a lot more work to do there," Elicker said.
Masks will also still be required in municipal buildings.
The announcement on Friday came after the CDC released new masking guidelines, essentially saying it's fine for most to unmask when you are indoors in public spaces.
The CDC's revised masking guidelines say for those in areas where COVID hospitalizations are low, most can take their masks off in indoor public spaces.
"I do think that that emphasis on local hospital capacity is the right way to go and probably will result in the relaxing of indoor masking mandates in a lot of places," said Dr. Albert Shaw a Yale Medicine infectious diseases specialist.
Some are not completely comfortable with the new guidance especially this teacher
"I think it's important when we are within a certain amount of feet of each other to keep them on to keep everybody safe," said Danielle Guilmette of Milford. "I don't think the numbers have dropped low enough quite yet to take them off completely."
One first grader from West Haven, shopping with her mom at Connecticut Post Mall, said she was happy to hear about the CDC guidelines.
"Because sometimes the mask things hurt my ears," said Elli Elniart.
And some say the CDC adjustments lead to questions.
"If the number are going down because masks are being worn if you take them off won't there be a possibility of it like going up even more," wondered Tatiana Rodriguez of New Haven.
The new CDC guidance does not remove the mask mandate on public transportation, like planes, trains and buses.
New Haven's health officials continue to encourage residents to get the COVID vaccine if able and for vulnerable populations to continue wearing a mask.
Tony Terzi is a reporter at FOX61 News. He can be reached at tterzi@fox61.com. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Leah Myers is a digital content producer at FOX61 News. She can be reached at lmyers@fox61.com
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