by Lacey Pfalz
Last updated: 12:25 AM ET, Fri May 21, 2021
Governor Andrew Cuomo announced on Wednesday that the state of New York will be easing its COVID-19 restrictions.
According to an article by the Daily News, the state's capacity limits for businesses have been fully lifted and the mask mandate has been lifted for vaccinated Americans in most places. Museums, places of worship, theaters, offices and restaurants are free of capacity limits, which will help drive New York's economy to recovery after thirteen months of lockdowns and tight capacity restrictions.
Face coverings are required for everyone in schools, hospitals and public transportation including airplanes and subways. Those unvaccinated are still required to wear the mask. Individual businesses can still choose to require patrons to wear masks, too.
"New York is coming back, and it's a testament to the strength and grit of New Yorkers who banded together, stayed tough, and fought as one to defeat this COVID beast," said Cuomo in a statement on Wednesday.
Additionally, the midnight curfew on indoor dining is also expected to be lifted later in the week.
Nearly half of all New Yorkers have been vaccinated. On May 18, 1,431 individuals tested positive, which was around a 1 percent positivity rate, according to CDC data. These factors, along with the newly released CDC guidelines surrounding vaccinated individuals, were the leading factors in the restrictions being eased.
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