New York City, Los Angeles to lift more COVID-19 restrictions

As COVID-19 measures are being dropped across the country, some of the strictest restrictions found in New York City and Los Angeles are being lifted.

In New York City, Mayor Eric Adams announced Friday that mask mandates in schools and vaccine mandates for restaurants and cultural and entertainment venues will be rescinded Monday, the Associated Press reported.

His announcement followed New York Democrat Gov. Kathy Hochul's saying Monday the state was lifting school mask mandates.

Adams, also a Democrat, said it was time to "celebrate" improved conditions in the roughly 2-year-long pandemic and to not "allow COVID to define us."

"We're far from out of the woods. COVID is still here," he still cautioned. "But we are beating it back."

The mayor also invited "people from Canada, from Arkansas, from New Zealand, from anywhere else," to take part in tourism and urged New Yorkers to "go out this weekend and go dine."

Starting Friday, residents in Los Angeles County are no longer required to mask up in restaurants, bars, gyms, shops and other businesses, despite the city still mandating full vaccination of customers entering indoor businesses.

The county lifting restrictions follow the stater of California dropping its mask mandate in most places for people who are vaccinated and unvaccinated.

The California school mask mandate is in place until March 12. After that deadline, school districts and businesses are allowed to continue their mask requirements if they choose to.

New York City and Los Angeles follow Washington, D.C., which also lifted its vaccine and indoor mask mandates, but continues its school mask mandate. Chicago also lifted its vaccine mandate for dining in at restaurants, according to the AP.