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NY waiting to drop mask mandate

By FOX 5 NY Staff
Updated  May 14, 2021 10:31pm EDT
New York
FOX 5 NY

Adapting to the CDC's new mask guidelines

The CDC has said that fully vaccinated people are being advised they no longer have to wear masks undermost circumstance, but in the tri-state area mask mandates are still in effect.

NEW YORK - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention eased mask-wearing guidance for fully vaccinated people on Thursday, allowing them to stop wearing masks outdoors in crowds and in most indoor settings.

The guidance still calls for wearing masks in crowded indoor settings like buses, planes, hospitals, prisons and homeless shelters, but it will help clear the way for reopening workplaces, schools and other venues — even removing the need for social distancing for those who are fully vaccinated.

While the CDC says it is OK for vaccinated people to stop wearing masks in most cases, New York will wait to drop its requirement.

New CDC mask guidelines

New York and New Jersey are still holding off on adopting the CDC's newest guidelines for mask usage, and many businnesses are trying to figure out where they stand.

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Governor Andrew Cuomo says current New York state guidelines will not be immediately altered.

Mixed feelings about new mask guidance

Some people say they've been waiting to take off their masks thanks to the latest CDC guidance, but others think it's still too soon. FOX 5 NY has more from New Yorkers who are split on the new guidance.

Do I still need to wear a mask in NY?

In a statement, Cuomo said:  "In New York, we have always relied on the facts and the science to guide us throughout the worst of this pandemic and in our successful reopening. We have received the newly revised guidance from the CDC regarding mask wearing and social distancing for those with vaccinations and are reviewing them in consultation with Dr. Zucker and our partners and health experts in surrounding states."  

Understanding the new mask guidelines

The CDC's new indoor mask guidelines may sound good in theory, but what about in practice? A lot of questions remain about exactly how this will impact whether we keep wearing masks indoors.

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Cuomo gave no timeline for that review.

Under the CDC guidance, fully vaccinated individuals are still advised to wear masks while traveling such as on planes, trains and buses, and when in health care settings and other congregate settings. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.