NY Hits 70% Vaccination Rate, Gov. Cuomo to Lift ‘Virtually All’ COVID restrictions

By Yehudit Garmaise

     New York hit its 70% COVID vaccination rate benchmark on Monday, data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data shows, which is the number at which Gov. Andrew Cuomo will lift “virtually all” COVID restrictions throughout the state, such as remaining capacity limits, social distancing, cleaning and disinfecting mandates, health screenings, and contact tracing.

    Although New York health officials had recently predicted, in what they thought was optimistic, that the state would not hit 70% until July 4, today, 70% of New York adults have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, according to the CDC.

    "Our progress is much more advanced than anyone thought,” Gov. Cuomo said.

     This morning at his press conference, when the state’s vaccination rate hovered toward Gov. Cuomo’s goal at 69.9%, the governor said, “When we hit 70, it will be cause for celebration: and we will celebrate.“

     We are looking forward to a great summer. We will make up for everything we missed in the past year.

    “We have been in the house for too long: in isolation. We are social beings, we are meant to see friends, to smile, and to be socially active.”

     To remain in accordance with CDC guidelines, however, for now, masks will continue to be required in schools, large venues, public transit, homeless shelters, correctional facilities, and health care facilities.

         “The more people get vaccinated, the lower the COVID positivity rate and the more the vaccine rate goes up, the lower the COVID positivity rate falls,” Gov. Cuomo said.

(Photo by: Mike Groll/Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo)