New York and California, the "Big Two," lift most coroanvirus restrictions

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Tue, 2021-06-15 14:47 — mike kraft

New York lifts most Covid restrictions 'effective immediately' now that 70% of adults have at least one vaccine shot Rich Mendez CNBC

New York will lift most of its Covid-19 restrictions now that 70% of all adults in the state have been vaccinated with at least one dose, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Tuesday.

Cuomo said all state-mandated restrictions on commercial businesses, social settings, sports and recreation events, construction, manufacturing and retail that were put in place beginning in March 2020 were being rolled back, “effective immediately.”

“We can get back to living. Businesses can open, because the state mandates are gone social gathering restrictions, the capacity restrictions the health screenings, the cleaning and disinfecting protocols” are all gone, he said. “Remember June 15. Remember today because it is the day New York rose again.”

Residents and visitors will still need to wear masks in some settings, like hospitals, public transportation and schools per guidelines recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, he said, but all other state-mandated Covid restrictions will be lifted across New York. The state will allow schools and camps to decide whether to require masks for children during outdoor activities.

While New York, which was an early epicenter of the global outbreak last March and April, has recorded more than 2 million cases and almost 53,000 Covid deaths, it now boasts one of the lowest positivity rates in the United States.

The first state to shut down due to Covid-19 reopens today California lifted most of its Covid-19 restrictions Tuesday as part of a grand reopening in which the state will end capacity limits, physical distancing and -- at least for those vaccinated -- mask requirements. Eric Levenson and Cheri Mossburg, CNN CNN

(CNN) California lifted most of its Covid-19 restrictions Tuesday as part of a grand reopening in which the state will end capacity limits, physical distancing and -- at least for those vaccinated -- mask requirements.

The new health order went into effect Tuesday and allows vaccinated people to go without a face covering in most situations, putting the state in line with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Masks are still required on public transportation, in hospitals and jails, as well as at schools, child care centers and K-12, pending updated guidance from the CDC.

California's Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board initially said masks would still be required unless everyone in the same room had been vaccinated. However, last week, the board reversed itself and said fully vaccinated workers do not need to wear masks or physically distance, regardless of others' vaccination status.

Gov. Gavin Newsom indicated he will sign an executive order later this week on workplace mask usage "to clear up any ambiguity."

Public health measures will remain only for mega-events with 5,000 or more people indoors or 10,000 attendees outdoors, with vaccine verification required or at least recommended, according to the revised health order. ...

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