By Hanna Park
(SACRAMENTO, Calif.) California officially reopened on Tuesday, lifting most of its coronavirus restrictions and marking the unwinding of pandemic rules with vaccine giveaways and lottery prizes, The New York Times reports.
While California is one of the last U.S. states to reopen, it had already eased many of its health restrictions. The remaining limits will be phased out in autumn.
“There is no American recovery without California’s recovery,” Gov. Gavin Newsom told the Times. “The good news is the state’s economic recovery is well underway.”
Masks will continue to be required in crowded and high-risk areas, such as hospitals, healthcare facilities, public transit, prisons and homeless shelters. But overall, the state will not mandate masks for the fully vaccinated.
The latest move in America’s most populous state signals a national turn toward normalcy. According to the Times, one out of every eight Americans lives in California, which generates 14.5% of the nation’s gross domestic product.
California has invested heavily in vaccinations, offering more than $100 million in vaccination incentives with support from the Biden administration. The state had also opened clinics in farmworker communities, strip malls and sports arenas, eventually reporting the nation’s highest vaccination rates and lowest positivity rates.
California reported about 3.8 million coronavirus infections and more than 63,000 deaths since the pandemic began – more deaths than any other state due to its population.