An indoor mask mandate went into effect in Hartford this morning and those caught violating that mandate could face a fine of $100.
Yesterday Mayor Luke Bronin announced the city will require people, 2-years-old and up, to wear a face covering while inside a public area regardless of vaccination status.
This comes a week after Gov. Ned Lamont signed an executive order that gives Connecticut town and city officials the authority to dictate universal mask requirements.
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Bronin said there’s been a surge of COVID-19 cases in the city driven by the delta variant.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Hartford County is considered to have a high level of spread.
The latest data from the state Department of Public Health finds the Capital City lags behind the state vaccination average with 47% of people receiving at least one dose.
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In a news conference, the mayor encouraged people to get vaccinated and said the priority is to slow the spread of the virus.
“If you’re not vaccinated, go get vaccinated. There is no reason to wait,” said Bronin. “There is nothing to fear from the vaccine but there is a lot to fear from this delta variant.”
There are exceptions with the mask mandate, including for those with certain medical conditions.
Several cities have announced they will be following suit, including Bridgeport, Norwalk and Stamford.
New Haven, which was the first city to require masks indoors, started a mandate on Monday.
Click here to see a list of where masks are required throughout the state.
