With 70% of adult New Yorkers now having received at least one vaccine, Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Tuesday lifted COVID-19 restrictions across the state.  

Although credit unions and banks were not specifically mentioned in the governor’s announcement, he said that the state’s health guidance and industry specific-guidelines — including social gathering limits, capacity restrictions, social distancing, cleaning and disinfection, health screening and contact information for tracing — are now optional for the following industries:

• retail;
• food services;
• offices, gyms and fitness centers;
• amusement and family entertainment;
• hair salons, barber shops and personal care services; and
• other commercial settings.

With the removal of the state’s minimum standard for reopening, businesses are free to choose to lift all or some restrictions, continue to adhere to the state’s archived guidance or implement other health precautions for their employees and patrons, Cuomo said.

Further, businesses are also authorized to require masks and 6 feet of social distancing for employees and patrons within their establishments, regardless of vaccination status, and any mask requirements that businesses choose to implement must adhere to applicable federal and state laws and regulations, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act, he said.

For questions on this recent announcement, please continue to refer to the CDC and New York Department of Health websites. Additional information can be found on the ny.gov website.