New York and Massachusetts have joined the growing list of states that, following guidelines released Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), have removed the mandate to wear face masks and maintain social distance for people already vaccinated against the coronavirus.
The Target and CVS chain stores have also announced their decision in this regard, joining Walmart or Starbucks, among other companies, in ending the mandate of masks for vaccinated people.
Over the weekend, signs of confusion, anger and joy have accumulated over this move towards normalcy.
The president, Joe Biden, is expected to reflect on this Monday in a speech to the nation, in which he will also announce the shipment of millions of doses of the vaccine to other countries, in addition to the 60 million of Astrazeneca that he promised share for july.
"Let's get back to life. If you are vaccinated, you are safe without a mask, without social distancing," said New York Governor Andrew Cuomo on Monday, urging, however, unvaccinated and immunosuppressed people to continue wearing face masks and keep social distance.
In turn, the New York City subway, the most used in the United States, resumed its 24-hour service on Monday, a year after the authorities agreed to a nightly closure for the disinfection of the cars as a measure to avoid the spread of COVID-19.
[Why do many people not want to remove their mask despite CDC guidance?]
The mayor, Bill de Blasio, said Monday that he will reinforce with 250 police officers plus security in the subway to combat an increase in crime.
A group of people in New York with and without a mask, on May 9, 2021.Alexi Rosenfeld / Getty Images
No restrictions in Massachusetts
Massachusetts will lift all remaining health restrictions for Memorial Day weekend, Gov. Charlie Baker announced Monday.
The obligation to wear a mask will also end on May 29 for most environments and all industries will be allowed to open without capacity limits, according to the president.
Baker announced the decision at a news conference where he said the state is on track to meet its goal of vaccinating 4.1 million of the 7 million residents by the first week of June.
[These are the scientific reasons why the CDC eliminated the mandatory use of masks for vaccinated people]
Face covers will remain mandatory in public and private transportation systems, including carpooling, taxis, ferries, MBTA subways and buses, train and commuter stations, and in healthcare facilities and other settings that host populations. vulnerable as collective care settings.
The state has reported more than 17,700 deaths from COVID-19 since the pandemic began, according to data from NBC News, the sister network of Noticias Telemundo.