New York State will adopt the new U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for masks and social distancing for vaccinated people, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced on Monday.
The CDC guidelines, unveiled last week, say fully vaccinated people no longer have to wear masks except on public transportation, in schools and in health care facilities, among other settings.
In New York, masks will still be required in those places, as well as in homeless shelters and correctional facilities. Private venues are able to impose additional requirements, the governor added.
The state will adopt the guidelines effective Wednesday, when the state has been slated to take its biggest step yet toward normalcy, with capacity limits for most venues set to be lifted.
One of the top infectious disease experts on Long Island said he hoped the new mask rules will entice more New Yorkers to get vaccinated, since vaccinated people will be able to drop the masks in many social and professional settings.
Dr. Bruce Polsky, chairman of medicine at NYU Langone Hospital-Long Island, said “I hope this pulls some people off the fence and into the vaccinated camp.
“Look at all you can do if you get vaccinated,” he added. “I do believe many of the unvaccinated are open to it.”
Polsky said the state shift to follow CDC guidance would eliminate some confusion around mask-wearing rules.
“To have different guidance for different locales is confusing,” he said. “That’s why I’m not surprised.”
On Monday, Cuomo also announced that the Knicks and the Nets will have fully vaccinated sections at home playoff games, and that the New York City Marathon will return on Nov. 7 at 60% capacity, for a total of 33,000 runners.
“New Yorkers have made great progress, all the arrows are pointed in the right direction, so let’s get back to life,” Cuomo said.
With Lisa L. Colangelo and David Reich-Hale
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