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Some visitors wear masks outdoors while taking pictures of the Hollywood sign at the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles on May 17. (Damian Dovarganes/AP)

California officially reopens its economy, New York celebrates with fireworks

June 15, 2021 at 11:30 p.m. EDT

In California, residents are ready to “turn the page.” In New York, leaders are lighting off fireworks. From coast to coast, with more and more people vaccinated against the coronavirus, several states are announcing the end of their pandemic-era restrictions and the beginning of their reopenings.

The tone has been largely celebratory, with governors hailing their declarations as milestone moments in the fight against covid-19. But they’ve also struck a somber, cautious note.  

Here are some significant developments:

  • Vermont Gov. Phil Scott (R) announced Monday that 80 percent of the state’s 12 and older population is at least partially vaccinated. It’s the first state in the nation to reach that milestone, Scott said, and will allow him to lift all remaining pandemic restrictions.
  • The World Health Organization warned Monday that the Group of Seven’s pledge to share 1 billion doses with low-income countries would not be enough and has not come soon enough to stave off the fast-moving coronavirus.
  • Israel on Tuesday ended its requirement that masks be worn indoors, as the country’s rate of new coronavirus cases continues to decline after a massive inoculation program earlier this year.
  • The Japanese government is reportedly considering putting Tokyo in a “quasi-state of emergency” during the 2020 Olympic Games to control infections.
  • The United States reported a seven-day rolling average of 14,393 new cases Monday, a slight decrease from the previous week. The number of daily reported deaths has fallen by about 28 percent.
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Vermont Gov. Phil Scott (R) announced Monday that 80 percent of the state’s 12 and older population is at least partially vaccinated. It’s the first state in the nation to reach that milestone, Scott said, and will allow him to lift all remaining pandemic restrictions.
The World Health Organization warned Monday that the Group of Seven’s pledge to share 1 billion doses with low-income countries would not be enough and has not come soon enough to stave off the fast-moving coronavirus.
Israel on Tuesday ended its requirement that masks be worn indoors, as the country’s rate of new coronavirus cases continues to decline after a massive inoculation program earlier this year.
The Japanese government is reportedly considering putting Tokyo in a “quasi-state of emergency” during the 2020 Olympic Games to control infections.
The United States reported a seven-day rolling average of 14,393 new cases Monday, a slight decrease from the previous week. The number of daily reported deaths has fallen by about 28 percent.

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