First Selectman Jim Marpe spoke about the new COVID-19 wave striking the region in a late statement tonight, stating “the COVID virus knows no municipal or county boundaries” as he weighed options to keep Westporters safe.

The statement comes after Governor Ned Lamont released an Executive Order earlier tonight that allows municipalities the freedom to create universal mask requirements at all indoor public spaces, regardless of vaccination status, due to a rapid increase in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations hitting the State.

The executive order also allows private indoor spaces to require masks, stating “Businesses, private property owners, and state and local government offices may require masks to be worn by everyone inside of their own facilities.”

The executive order does not include any outdoor settings.

First Selectman Marpe will join an early Friday morning meeting with fellow members of the Western Connecticut Council of Governments (WestCOG) “to better understand our options, and to attempt some consistency of masking guidelines across the region.”

“In the meantime, I encourage everyone to wear a mask indoors, particularly in any crowded setting and, for those who are eligible to be vaccinated and have not done so, to please get vaccinated.” he concluded.

Press Release from First Selectman Jim Marpe

As you know, Westport has already re-instituted the requirement for everyone, vaccinated or not, to wear masks indoors in public buildings as recommended by the CDC and the State Department of Health.

Westport residents have been very diligent in getting vaccinated, with full vaccination rates approaching 90% for the eligible population. Nevertheless, the COVID virus knows no municipal or county boundaries, and a significant portion of our workforce commutes into Westport every day from areas of the State that may have had less success in vaccinating their population.

As a result, I will be working with our COVID Emergency Response team, which includes the Westport Weston Health District leadership, to consider what additional steps our community should take within the Governor’s Executive order to further limit our residents’ exposure to the virus through masking requirements. I will be meeting Friday morning with my counterparts from the Western Connecticut Council of Governments (WestCOG) to better understand our options, and to attempt some consistency of masking guidelines across the region.

In the meantime, I encourage everyone to wear a mask indoors, particularly in any crowded setting and, for those who are eligible to be vaccinated and have not done so, to please get vaccinated.