In his news briefing on Monday, February 1, Governor Ned Lamont loosened pandemic restrictions for houses of worship across the state.

As of this week, houses of worship can hold up to 50 percent capacity, with no limit, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Until Monday’s announcement, the latest restrictions — Phase 2.1 — allowed up to 50 percent capacity but no more than 100 people, with masks and social distancing required.

Similar caps had been the source of lawsuits in other states, the governor noted.

The 50 percent remains in place in Connecticut, but there is no longer a limit on the number of people, Lamont reiterated.

The news came during the same press conference that had the governor announcing the positivity rate and the number of hospitalizations had both dipped.

“In terms of slowly getting back to a new normal,” Lamont said Monday afternoon, “our better numbers are allowing us to slightly relax some of the restrictions.”

He further noted that the state’s houses of worship have been “extraordinary” in efforts to curb the spread of the virus. Many such locations, he noted, have been considered “somewhat risky, generally oriented towards an older demographic.

“Well, that older demographic is getting vaccinated,” he said. “I’d like to think we’re making a real difference there.”

Sharing advice he received from other governors, Lamont encouraged faith leaders to do more than show people where they should not be sitting.

“Show where they should be sitting, and that makes following the protocols a lot easier to do,” he said.