Fully vaccinated Virginians will no longer have to wear their masks indoors, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam said Friday.
Mr. Northam also said the state’s social distancing and capacity restrictions will end on May 28 instead of June 15.
The governor said that the new mask rules, which go into effect at midnight Friday, align with guidelines released Thursday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC says people fully vaccinated against COVID-19 do not have to wear a mask in most indoor places. Exceptions include health care settings, public transit and wherever a mask is required by law.
“Virginians have been working hard, and we are seeing the results in our strong vaccine numbers and dramatically lowered case counts,” Mr. Northam said. “The message is clear: Vaccinations are how we put this pandemic in the rearview mirror and get back to being with the people we love and doing the things we have missed.”
Health department data as of Friday show more than 3.1 million of the state’s more than 8.5 million residents are fully vaccinated. The state has recorded 669,219 cases of COVID-19 and 10,991 deaths.
