County Executives call on Cuomo to lift most mask rules for vaccinated people

County Executives call on Cuomo to lift most mask rules for vaccinated people

A customer exits a corner market while wearing a protective mask in the retail shopping district of the SoHo neighborhood of the Manhattan borough of New York, Friday, May 14, 2021. Gov. Andrew Cuomo has yet to say whether he will change his state’s mask mandate in light of new federal guidance that eases rules for fully vaccinated people. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

KINGSTON, N.Y. (AP) — Six of New York’s county executives are calling for Gov. Andrew Cuomo to update the state’s COVID-19 protocols in accord with new federal guidelines that ease rules for fully vaccinated people. The bipartisan group of county executives cited Thursday’s announcement by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicating that vaccinated Americans could stop wearing masks outdoors in crowds and in most indoor settings. Several states changed their COVID-19 rules after the CDC announcement. But Cuomo said Thursday that his administration was reviewing the new guidance. A spokesperson for the state health department said Sunday that the review was continuing.

Photo: A customer exits a corner market while wearing a protective mask in the retail shopping district of the SoHo neighborhood of the Manhattan borough of New York, Friday, May 14, 2021. Gov. Andrew Cuomo has yet to say whether he will change his state’s mask mandate in light of new federal guidance that eases rules for fully vaccinated people. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)