Cuomo says vaccinated New Yorkers can go mask-free, adopts CDC guidance
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Fully vaccinated New Yorkers can ditch their masks in most circumstances starting Wednesday as the Empire State adopts guidance from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The seismic shift will come the same day that a majority of COVID-19 capacity limits are scrapped and New York takes a major step toward returning to normal, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Monday.
“If you are vaccinated, you are safe,” the governor said during a press briefing held at Radio City Music Hall. “No masks, no social distancing.
“The whole point of the CDC’s change, the whole point of our change is to say to people, there are benefits to being vaccinated,” he added.
The new guidance means inoculated New Yorkers can go mask-free indoors, but should still wear face coverings in some crowded settings and on mass transit.
Masks must also be worn in schools, hospitals, prisons, nursing homes and homeless shelters.
Businesses can set their own rules, Cuomo said, adding that stores and other companies are welcome to keep mask mandates if they like.
New Yorkers who have yet to get vaccinated must still wear masks in all settings, although it’s unclear how that will be enforced.
“We have to reopen. We have to reopen smart, with a cautious eye. We have to get back to life and living and we have to do it the way New Yorkers do it,” the governor said. “Unvaccinated people should continue to wear a mask and social distance, but if you are vaccinated you are safe — no masks, no social distancing.”
Cuomo first instituted a mask mandate in April 2020 as coronavirus ravaged the state.
The executive order issued at the height of the pandemic required anyone venturing out in public to wear some sort of covering over their nose and mouth whenever social distancing wasn’t possible.
A precipitous drop in cases and steady increase in the number of New Yorkers who are vaccinated has led to the easing of most COVID restrictions in recent weeks with a target set on Wednesday for lifting many capacity limits and curfews for bars and restaurants.
Cuomo noted that 52.2% of New York adults are fully vaccinated and 61.8% have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine. More than 17.6 million vaccine doses have been administered in the state so far.
The governor also announced that the Knicks and the Nets will have fully vaccinated sections at home playoff games, and that the New York City Marathon will return on Nov. 7 at 60% capacity, for a total of 33,000 runners.
“New Yorkers have made great progress, all the arrows are pointed in the right direction, so let’s get back to life,” Cuomo said.
Knicks owner James Dolan joined Cuomo for the announcement and said that at least 50% of seats at Madison Square Garden will be reserved for vaccinated fans during the Knicks’ upcoming playoff run, if not more.
“We are still going to make room for people who are unvaccinated,” Dolan said. “But honestly, we’re going to favor the vaccinated.”
Radio City, which Dolan also runs, will host the closing ceremonies for the Tribeca Film Festival and only be open to vaccinated attendees, Cuomo also announced.
“Having Radio City back at 100%, 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.