The state of New York will repeal its indoor mask mandate Wednesday as the number of infections has decreased.
According to three people briefed on the decision, Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, will end the mandate, which requires businesses statewide to ask customers for proof of vaccination or to wear a mask.
The rule, which was set to expire Tuesday, would have required renewing. It is still unclear whether the governor will renew or drop the school mask mandate, which is to expire in two weeks.
Other states that also have Democrat governors, such as New Jersey and California, have announced similar decisions this week.
Regarding New Jersey's dropping of its mask mandate, Gov. Phil Murphy said Monday that ''this is not a declaration of victory as much as an acknowledgment that we can responsibly live with this thing.''
Murphy announced that next month, students and school employees will no longer be required to wear masks.
Other blue states, such as California, Connecticut, Oregon and Delaware, stated that some of their mask requirements would end as well.
Connecticut will no longer require masks in schools after February, while Delaware will end mask mandates in schools by the end of March. California and Oregon will drop their indoor mask mandates on Feb. 15 and March 31, respectively.
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