Cuomo ends NY indoor mask mandate for vaccinated

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) announced on Monday that New York will be adopting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s new mask recommendations, allowing fully vaccinated people to go without masks in most places.

“Effective Wednesday, NYS will adopt the CDC’s new mask & social distancing guidance for vaccinated people,” Cuomo tweeted. “Unvaccinated people should continue to wear a mask.”

Effective Wednesday, NYS will adopt the CDC’s new mask & social distancing guidance for vaccinated people.

Unvaccinated people should continue to wear a mask.

Masks will still be required on public transit, in schools & some communal settings. Private venues may require masks.

— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) May 17, 2021

Cuomo added that masks will still be required on public transport, schools and “some communal settings” such as nursing homes, correctional facilities and homeless shelters.

Private venues will still be permitted to have mask requirements.

Cuomo stated during a news conference on Monday that 52.2 percent of New York adults are fully vaccinated and 61.8 percent have at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine. More than 17.6 million vaccine doses have been administered so far.

The adoption of new mask guidelines coincides with New York’s planned reopening, which will lift most capacity restrictions on businesses. This week will also mark the return of 24-hour subway service in New York City.

“Getting back to life means not just getting back to work, but getting back to life the way we enjoy it in New York, why people enjoy being here, what makes New York ‘New York,'” Cuomo said.

Cuomo said multiple New York events like the New York City Marathon and the Tribeca Film Festival would all be returning in 2021, albeit with some health-related restrictions. He also announced that the Radio City Music Hall would be reopening at 100 percent capacity.

“Having Radio City back at 100 percent, without masks, with people enjoying New York and the New York arts is gonna be not only symbolic and metaphoric, but I think is gonna go a long way towards bringing back this state overall,” Cuomo said, clarifying that these returns to normal will be reserved for fully vaccinated people.

“There are benefits to being vaccinated. Number one: if you get COVID — which there’s a fractional chance that you get it if you’re vaccinated — you won’t get as sick. Number two: you can’t transmit it to anyone. And number three: yes New York is opening, but you’re gonna have more opportunities if you’re vaccinated,” Cuomo said.