New York is breathing. The state of New York will lift from Thursday the obligation to wear the mask indoors, especially in shops, restaurants and businesses, announced this Wednesday the Democratic governor of the state, Kathy Hochul, at a time when the number of Covid-19 infections is plummeting in the United States.
This obligation to wear the mask – which expires on Thursday according to New York state legislation – will, on the other hand, remain in place in schools until March, while its indoor application can still be imposed by municipalities, including New York City, and businesses, the governor said.
California, New Jersey and Connecticut are also lifting the mask
While the state and the megacity of New York have been strongly affected by the pandemic – at least 38,000 deaths in two years for the megacity – Kathy Hochul welcomed health indicators all in “decline”. “We are not finished, but the trend is very, very well oriented and that is why we are now considering a new phase of the pandemic,” she said, while just under 250,000 cases a day are currently recorded in the United States, compared to 800,000 in mid-January.
The Governor’s decision comes against a backdrop of easing restrictions in the United States. Before New York, California, New Jersey and Connecticut also announced the lifting of the requirement to wear the mask indoors, while it has never been imposed in large states led by Republican governors such as Florida or Texas.
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