Covid-19 Live Updates: More States, Businesses Ease Mask Guidance
New York and Illinois said they would adopt new federal guidelines on masking and social distancing for fully vaccinated people, while California will wait until next month to make the switch, as state leaders continue to grapple with a quickly changing pandemic picture.
“We have to reopen, we have to reopen smart, we have to reopen with a cautious eye, but we have to get back to life,” New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Monday. “If you are vaccinated, you are safe.”
More than 42% of New York state residents have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Those individuals won’t need to wear a face mask or socially distance in most business and public settings in the state starting Wednesday.
But, in keeping with federal guidance, masks and social distancing will still be required at certain locations, such as on public transportation, in private businesses and in healthcare settings, said Mr. Cuomo, a Democrat. The new recommendations don’t apply to unvaccinated individuals.
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker issued an executive order Monday aligning his state’s policies with CDC guidance.
“I also support the choice of individuals and businesses to continue to mask out of an abundance of caution as this pandemic isn’t over yet,” said Mr. Pritzker, a Democrat. More than 36% of the state’s population is fully vaccinated, according to CDC data.
The CDC said Thursday that fully vaccinated people no longer need to wear a mask or physically distance during outdoor or indoor activities. But the agency added that the fully vaccinated should continue to wear masks while traveling by plane, bus or train, and the guidance doesn’t apply to places such as hospitals, nursing homes and prisons.
The recommendations caught many local governments and businesses off-guard.
Until Thursday, 26 states and the District of Columbia had statewide mask mandates still in place, according to research from the Kaiser Family Foundation. Almost all of those states have now updated their masking policies to follow the CDC’s guidance either immediately or in short order. A handful of remaining states, including California and Massachusetts, said they were still reviewing the guidance.
Mark Ghaly, secretary of California’s Health and Human Services Agency, said Monday current Covid-19 health guidelines will continue until June 15, when the state will switch over to the new CDC recommendations.
