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With New York hitting the designated 70 percent vaccination rate, Gov. Andrew Cuomo boisterously announced on Tuesday, June 15 that the COVID-19 restrictions put in place during the pandemic have been lifted.
“What does 70 percent mean? It means that we can now return to life as we know it,” Cuomo announced. “We now enter a phase where we successfully deployed the weapon that was going to win the war.
“That weapon was the vaccine, and we knew it. But the question was could we do it? Would we do it? Could you organize enough to get it done? Would people show up? How are we to organize this massive operation unlike anything seen since World War II?
“And we stepped forward … And we stepped forward boldly.”
With more than 20.2 million New Yorkers vaccinated for the virus, Cuomo made it official that he was lifting restrictions and occupancy limits statewide.
Social distancing will no longer be required, health screenings are done, contact information for tracing is no longer being recorded, and cleaning and disinfection protocols will no longer be necessary, according to the state.
Cuomo noted that masks will still be required per CDC guidance for children in schools, public transit, and healthcare settings.
State-mandated COVID-19 restrictions that are being lifted for commercial and social settings include:
- Sports and recreation;
- Construction;
- Manufacturing;
- Trade;
- Child care;
- Camps;
- Food services;
- Offices;
- Real Estate;
- Buildings;
- Agriculture;
- Fishing;
- Forestry;
- Amusement and family entertainment;
- Personal care services;
- Gyms;
- Retail;
- Malls;
- Movie theaters.
“We’re no longer just surviving. We’re not in our homes afraid to go out … We’re not in our homes disinfecting everything we can see … Life is not about survival… Life is about seeing people, about loving and celebrating and enjoying and interaction, and now we get back to living and life,” Cuomo added. “Effective immediately, all state-mandated restrictions are lifted.
“Remember June 15. Remember today, because it’s the day New York Rose again.”
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