NY To Lift Mask Mandates For Vaccinated, As Recommended By CDC

HUDSON VALLEY, NY — The masks are coming off: New York will adopt the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's lifting of mask and social distancing mandates for the vaccinated, effective Wednesday.

The CDC said Thursday that fully vaccinated people could forgo face coverings and social distancing in most places, both inside and outside, regardless of crowd size.

Initially, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said New York State was still reviewing the decision, but on Monday, at a news conference held at Radio City Music Hall, he said the state would adopt the CDC's guidelines.

According to the CDC, people still need to wear face coverings on airplanes, buses, trains and other public transportation, as well as in hospitals, and long-term care facilities.

According to the new CDC guidance, fully vaccinated people also can:

• Resume domestic travel and refrain from testing before or after travel or self-quarantine after travel.
• Refrain from testing before leaving the United States for international travel (unless required by the destination) and refrain from self-quarantine after arriving back in the United States.
• Refrain from testing following a known exposure, if asymptomatic, with some exceptions for specific settings.
• Refrain from quarantine following a known exposure if asymptomatic.
• Refrain from routine screening testing if feasible.

For now, the CDC added, fully vaccinated people should continue to:

• Get tested if experiencing COVID-19 symptoms.
• Follow CDC and health department travel requirements and recommendations.

Cuomo said those who are immunocompromised or not yet vaccinated should wear masks and social distance.

The news coincides with a major statewide reopening in New York which takes place Wednesday. Most capacity restrictions will be lifted in restaurants, museums, retail establishments, and offices. The outdoor food and beverage curfew is lifted as of Monday; the indoor food and beverage curfew will be lifted May 31. In addition, Cuomo said, the outdoor gathering limit has increased to 500, and the indoor gathering limit, increased to 250, with indoor residential gathering limits upped to 50.

Cuomo said Monday county fairs in the state will be able to reopen with 6-foot social distancing.

He said the local departments of health will issue permits, but the state health department will have to give its approval for events with 5,000 or more attendees.

Private operators and government-owned venues will be able to issue guidelines.

Dutchess County Fairground officials announced Wednesday the 175th county fair will take place Aug. 24 through Aug. 29.

Andy Imperati, president and CEO of the Dutchess County Fairgrounds, said he would be releasing more details on the reopening plans, but added that all previous vendors were contacted and 90 percent said they would be coming back.

Cuomo also announced that the vaccinated versus unvaccinated model adopted by the New York Islanders at Nassau Coliseum will be expanded to Madison Square Carden and the Barclays Center. Under that model, a total of 50 percent of tickets will be sold to vaccinated people; individuals in those sections must adhere to 3-foot distancing. Also, 50 percent of seats will be sold to unvaccinated people, who must adhere to 6-foot distancing. Everyone must wear a mask, Cuomo said.

Cuomo said that 50 percent directive is up to the private operator; he said he would encourage businesses to go even higher, to 100 percent vaccinated. To that end, Radio City Music Hall will open again with maskless audiences required to be 100 percent vaccinated.

Cuomo also announced that the New York Marathon is back with six-foot social distancing — and the Tribeca Film Festival will reopen June 9 in an all-new park in New York City.

Written by Lisa Finn/Patch with additional reporting by Michael Woyton/Patch.