On June 15, 2021, New York State issued a press release stating that because 70 percent of New Yorkers aged 18 or older have received the first dose of their COVID-19 vaccination series, the “New York Forward 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 . . . offices.” The press release added that “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,” and that “[c]onsistent with the State’s implementation of the recent CDC guidance, masks are still required for unvaccinated individuals.”
Additionally, on June 8, 2021, New York State updated the office reopening guidance to incorporate the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (“CDC”) May 13, 2021 guidance on social distancing and mask wearing for vaccinated individuals.