NEW YORK (1010 WINS) – New York state begins adopting the CDC’s new guidance on mask wearing and social distancing for fully vaccinated people on Wednesday.
The new guidance means vaccinated people won’t have to wear masks or social distance outside or inside in most circumstances. Masks will still be required in some settings, including schools, mass transit, health care facilities, nursing homes and homeless shelters.
Connecticut has also adopted the CDC’s new mask and social distancing guidance for vaccinated people, while New Jersey has not lifted its indoor mask mandate yet.
In New York, unvaccinated and immunocompromised people must continue to wear a mask and maintain at least 6 feet of social distancing, but people who have waited two weeks after completing their inoculation series no longer have to do either.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo said it’s up to businesses and venues to decide how to check someone’s vaccination status. New Yorkers can use the Excelsior Pass smartphone app to prove their vaccination status.
"Today is a milestone in New York State's war against COVID," Cuomo said in a statement Wednesday. "With positivity and hospitalization rates at their lowest levels since last fall, and more than 10 million New Yorkers having received at least one vaccine dose, today New York State is adopting the CDC's updated guidance on masks and social distancing."
"This means that, 399 days after New York was the first state in the country to implement a mask mandate, effective today, fully vaccinated individuals no longer need to use a face covering in most public places," the governor said, adding that, "The steps we're taking today don't mean that COVID has been officially relegated to the history books. We need to stay vigilant."
Mayor Bill de Blasio said people should continue to use good judgement when it comes to wearing masks in some situations, since many people are still unvaccinated. And city health commissioner Dr. Dave Chokshi said he'll still have his mask on in indoor public spaces.
"While I'm fully vaccinated, I'll be keeping my mask on indoors in almost all settings," Chokshi said. "Those public health precautions that got us to where we are right now, will remain important for just a bit longer."
Also on Wednesday, restaurants, stores, gyms and many other businesses can go back to 100% capacity in New York if they check vaccination cards or apps for proof that all patrons have been inoculated.
New Jersey is also lifting capacity limits at many places, including indoor dining, retail businesses, gyms and houses of worship.
Connecticut is ending capacity restrictions as well, as it adopts the CDC’s mask guidance.
Last week, the CDC announced that people who have completed their vaccine series can quit wearing masks outdoors in crowds and in most indoor settings, and also give up social distancing. The guidance still calls for masks in crowded indoor settings including buses, airplanes, hospitals, prisons and homeless shelters.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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