New York to end most mask, social-distancing requirements for vaccinated people on Wednesday

NEW YORK, N.Y. — As of Wednesday, New York State will adopt the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) guidance that allows fully vaccinated people to no longer have to wear masks or socially distance indoors in most settings.

“Effective this Wednesday, we’re going to adopt the CDCs new guidance and regulations on masks and social distancing for vaccinated people. By the CDC guidance, immunocompromised people and [unvaccinated] people should continue to wear a mask and social distance, but if you are vaccinated, you are safe. No masks, no social distancing,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in his daily COVID-19 briefing held at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. “We’re also going to follow the CDC’s guidelines that you will still need to wear a mask on public transportation, the subways, the buses, nursing homes, homeless shelters, correctional facilities, schools, and health-care facilities.”

To implement the CDC’s guidance, New York will be revising the following reopening guidelines to take effect on May 19.

Business mask rules

Cuomo noted that individual businesses can still require masks for all if they want to continue doing so.

But in most settings, vaccinated individuals will not be required to wear a mask. Unvaccinated people, under both CDC and state guidance, “must wear masks in all public settings,” Cuomo’s office said.

 Business-capacity rules

As previously announced by the governor, most business capacities — which are currently based upon percentage of maximum occupancy — will be removed on Wednesday.

Businesses will only be limited by the space available for patrons, or parties of patrons, to maintain the required social distance of six feet.

However, given that the CDC has advised that fully vaccinated people don’t need to maintain social distance, businesses may eliminate the six feet of required social distancing, and therefore increase capacity, “only if all patrons within the establishment — or a separate designated part of the establishment — present proof of full vaccination status.

Proof of full vaccination status can be provided by customers through paper form, digital application, or the state’s Excelsior Pass.

For areas where vaccination status of people isn’t known and for patrons who do not present proof of full vaccination status, the required social distance of six feet still applies until more New Yorkers are fully vaccinated, the state said. The change will apply across all commercial settings, except the exempt settings outlined by the CDC.

Small and large-scale event rules

Small-scale events, below the state’s social-gathering limit of 250 indoors or 500 outdoors, will be able to apply the revised business mask and capacity rules. But unvaccinated people should still wear masks, and event venues can still require masks for all patrons if they would like to do so.

For large-scale events that exceed the state’s social-gathering limits, event venues will only be limited by the space available for patrons or parties of patrons to maintain the required distance, as follows:

Unvaccinated attendees and attendees who have an unknown vaccination status must be spaced six feet apart in assigned sections. Masks will be required in indoor event settings, except while seated and eating or drinking.

Fully vaccinated attendees may be spaced directly next to one another at 100 percent capacity instead of six feet apart in assigned sections that are designated solely for fully vaccinated individuals. Masks are optional. Venues must verify vaccination status to take advantage of reduced social-distancing requirements.

Children under the age of 12 who are not yet vaccine eligible — and under the age of 16 who have not yet been able to be vaccinated — may accompany and be seated with a vaccinated adult in a fully vaccinated section.

Proof of full vaccination status can be provided by attendees through paper form, digital application, or the state’s Excelsior Pass.

For large-scale events, proof of recent negative COVID-19 test result for attendees who are over the age of four remains required for unvaccinated attendees in indoor event settings above the state’s social gathering limit but will become optional in outdoor event settings.