They’re not mandating it, but the towns of East Windsor, South Windsor and Windsor Locks are strongly encouraging residents to mask up inside local businesses.
“Our communities have again seen an increase in COVID-19 over the last few weeks. By wearing masks, you are not only protecting yourself but also others around you,” local officials from the three towns said in a statement.
There are six cities in Connecticut with a mask mandate: Hartford, New Haven, Bridgeport, Stamford, Norwalk and Danbury. Also the town of Mansfield has mandated masks.
Gov. Ned Lamont has resisted calls for a statewide mask mandate, but some local officials say it makes more sense.
“All three communities would strongly prefer to see a single, state-wide policy. In the absence of that, we are trying to act regionally, because the virus does not recognize town borders,” East Windsor First Selectman Jason Bowsza said.
“We all strongly believe that the situation requires a uniform, statewide policy regarding mask requirements indoors in public places. In the absence of that state-wide policy, we are working jointly to protect the residents in our communities,” the three officials from East Windsor, South Windsor and Windsor Locks wrote.
“Our goal is to keep businesses open and in-person school for children. If numbers continue to rise at the rate they are, we are going to be risking those opportunities,” they added.
In an email, Max Reiss, the governor’s chief spokesman, said there is currently a mask order in place for all unvaccinated individuals and towns are free to set more stringent requirements.
“The governor and members of his administration continue to consult with public health experts and local leaders,” Reiss said. “Given the high variability of vaccination rates across towns, Gov. Lamont has allowed local leaders to make decisions at the municipal level.”
