Most COVID-19 restrictions on small businesses and gathering sizes are on their way out May 19, Gov. Ned Lamont announced Monday.

While Dr. Albert Ko wasn't involved in Tuesday's decision, earlier in the pandemic, he co-chaired Gov. Ned Lamont's Reopen Connecticut Advisory Board.

He says the call to roll back restrictions next month makes sense in the face of speedy vaccine rollout.

Dr. Luke Davis is an ICU physician who started a petition last fall to shut down indoor dining altogether.

"We had been quite concerned in mid-October so when cases started ramping up very rapidly that our hospitals and ICUs would be overwhelmed," said Davis.

He says while new cases have been on the rise in recent weeks, quick vaccine rollout has kept hospitalizations and deaths flat.

"If we could eliminate deaths that would be wonderful. But we're probably going to need to get a few more people vaccinated before we get to that point," said Davis.

Doctors say health departments will have to watch super-transmissible variants closely over the next few months.

The more people are vaccinated, the more other precautions can be rolled back.

After May 19, masks will still be required for staff and patrons inside businesses.