New York Lifts Most Covid Rules as State Hits 70% Milestone: ‘We Can Now Return to Life As We Know It’

By Paul Riegler on 15 June 2021
  • Share

Three of New York’s finest on a deserted Park Avenue in the middle of the day in the spring of 2020

New York lifted most Covid restrictions as the state hit the 70% mark for first-dose vaccinations of adults.

Governor Andrew Cuomo made the announcement at a news conference that representatives of dozens of first responder and essential worker groups attended.

“We can now return to life as we know it,” Governor Cuomo said to thunderous applause, adding that the state “has fully vaccinated a larger share of adults than any other big state in the country.”

While the statewide average is now 70%, Long Island hit 75.3% and New York City, once a major epicenter of the pandemic, hit 68.4%.

In most cases, the change eliminates social-distancing requirements, capacity restrictions, social gathering limits, health screenings, a requirement to gather contact information for tracing, and cleaning and disinfection protocols.

Businesses however may opt to keep any or all of these in place.  Governor Cuomo said he was not giving up his hand sanitizer, noting at the news conference how one sniff opens up his sinuses.

The governor called the achievement of hitting the 70% mark “a testament to the people of New York.”

Despite hitting the milestone, the governor called for more people to get vaccinated.

“We want to do better than 70%,” the governor said, “but it is an important milestone, and we’re going to keep pushing to do more.”

While state measures are being withdrawn, federal mandates such as those from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including masks in schools and on public transit, remain in force.

(Photo: Accura Media Group)

Accura News