Though New Canaan hasn’t adopted a mask mandate, as some neighboring municipalities have, increased numbers of COVID-19 cases here due to summer travel could see that change, the town’s highest elected official said this week.
New Canaan leaders are “watching the metrics and the feedback we are getting so far is that people would not like to see a mask mandate in town,” First Selectman Kevin Moynihan said during Tuesday’s regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen.
“If we see a big uptick from travel that will probably change our mind about what we do locally,” he said during the meeting, held in Town Hall and via videoconference.
Moynihan added, “People should get tested as soon as they get back from traveling or if they haven’t been tested where they’re coming from. We will take it week-by-week and probably day-by-day at this point.”
The comments came during an update on general matters before the town. Moynihan said he would put out a town-wide outcall Thursday evening after officials see how this week unfolds in terms of new cases.
Gov. Ned Lamont on Aug. 5 signed an executive order providing municipal leaders with the option of requiring masks in indoor public places within their respective towns and cities for all individuals, regardless of vaccination status.
Selectman Nick Williams said the town has learned how to make quick decisions regarding appropriate mask-wearing rules.
According to state Department of Public Health data released Wednesday, New Canaan during the most recent reporting period has 12 positive COVID-19 cases per 100,000 population. That compares to 6.6 for Darien, 7 for Wilton, 10.9 for Greenwich and 12.6 for Norwalk.
Moynihan said during the meeting that the town’s weekly numbers are “still modest.” Towns such as Darien, Wilton and Westport have not yet adopted mask mandates for indoors, for private business and activities, he said.
“But we’re monitoring our numbers,” Moynihan said. “Our numbers remain good. Our vaccination rates are so high that people should feel comfortable. Obviously anyone who feels that they would be more comfortable wearing masks—masks are designed to protect the unvaccinated. The best way is to protect the unvaccinated is to get vaccinated. So we continue to work on our effort to get everyone vaccinated in town, who works in town, who works for the town. We are adopting a policy this week to either get vaccinated or do weekly testing for town employees.”
With respect to those traveling back to New Canaan, Moynihan noted that Nantucket has proven to be a popular destination this summer with 100,000 people there. Williams added, “Half of them from New Canaan.”
Moynihan said the virus’s Delta variant “comes on fast, so you know that you have been affected.”
“And if you are not vaccinated, the results can be serious,” he said. “We have had some breakthrough cases locally.”
Williams said, “Get vaccinated. Everybody should be vaccinated.”
Just wanted to comment on Kevin’s quote on mask wearing – He said-
“Obviously anyone who feels that they would be more comfortable wearing masks—masks are designed to protect the unvaccinated.”
It’s important to note that a masked person protects both themselves as well as others.
Here’s a quote I just copied —
“Wearing a mask protects the wearer, and not just other people, from the coronavirus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention emphasized in an updated scientific brief issued Tuesday”.
Sometimes social pressure stops people from wearing a mask if too few people are doing it. It’s good I think to wear a mask in cases where you are inside in shops, in crowds etc.
I agree with Ms. Oxman. Masks protect everyone, vaccinated or not. We are seeing that 10-25% of patients currently hospitalized with Covid are vaccinated. This does not mean we should not encourage universal vaccination- vaccines are highly effective, esp. against severe disease and death. But we know this level of protection fades over time, and this disease is much more contagious and severe than the original variant. It is our duty to protect ourselves and the people around us. And I would like to see that our officials understand this and make decisions that emphasize the health of most over the comfort of the few who are against wearing masks.
How do you know all this. It’s more contagious and….severe?? Not
Sure that is correct. How many from New Canaan are in the hospital?
Age? Underlying conditions..vaccinated? Do you know? Does Oxman
Know?? I think K. Moynihan is correct to study the real time statistics and
not have a knee jerk reaction.Let’s use common sense and real scientific
Knowledge before we slap the masks back on. Do remember at
Least 80% percent of adults in New Canaan have been vaccinated.
Thus the new variant will be blunted. We have already had fear mongering in the past in the country. Let’s be sensible and reasonable
And make decisions w/0 emotions. Thank Kevin for not jump
Starting the backward slide into masking and closing up.
Pamela McFeely.
Ms. McFeely – “Oxman” here. I was referring the Kevin Moynahan’s comment that “masks are designed to protect the unvaccinated”. I said that the face masks protect both the wearer as well as the others around them, and that’s according to the CDC. I think it’s an important point to understand that they protect both. And the other thing I said was – that I believe it’s a good idea to wear a mask in cases where you are inside in shops, in crowds etc. Is that “fear mongering” ? – I think not.
It’s just not science. I’m vaccinated, your vaccinated…if we
met up in a store maskless…would we give each other the Virus?
Nope. Commence sense left the stage long ago. Masks=politics.
So I just do what I believe is reasonable. 😘.
Now let us worry about the hurricane that they told us was not
Hitting CT. 🙄
Masks are not politics and if 2 people are vaccinated they can still give each other the virus! Stop spreading mis-information. Maybe move to Florida where there are no rules and a high percentage of Covid while you’re at it!
Many vaccinated people are falling victim to the new variant. The scientists are baffled. Let’s let scientists do their job and listen to them. Let’s not judge people in our community that have decided to wear masks. It isn’t our business what others do. Let’s be smart and protect one another. That is what New Canaan is all about.