The dominos are falling. We’re inching towards normalcy. It may not be the pace we like but any step in the right direction is a good thing. At the same time, there are still oddities with these restrictions easing up. If you’re living in Virginia, the mask mandate expires at midnight tonight. Those who are fully vaccinated are no longer required to wear a mask unless they’re on public transportation, which makes no sense. At the same time, the social distancing guidelines and indoor capacity caps which were set to expire on June 15 have been moved up to May 28. As for the vaccine passport, Northam doesn’t plan to push for such a plan (via WaPo):
Virginia will be removing our universal indoor mask mandate for fully-vaccinated individuals tonight at midnight, consistent with the latest @CDCgov guidelines.
— Governor Ralph Northam (@GovernorVA) May 14, 2021
It’s simple: either get your shot, or wear a mask. pic.twitter.com/eCZ0Z8yNw3
NEW: Virginia will end all distancing and capacity restrictions on Friday, May 28, two weeks earlier than planned.
— Governor Ralph Northam (@GovernorVA) May 14, 2021
Over 4 million Virginians have received at least one dose of the vaccine, and our percent positivity, case numbers, and hospitalizations are at or near record lows.
Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam said Friday that he would lift the state’s mandate that everyone wear masks indoors to protect against the coronavirus as of midnight, in accordance with new federal guidelines.
Anyone who is fully vaccinated will not be required to wear masks indoors or out, except on public transit, in health-care facilities or in congregate settings, as outlined by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Northam’s office said.
“Anyone who is not vaccinated is strongly encouraged to wear masks in all settings,” Northam spokeswoman Alena Yarmosky said.
Northam also plans to lift all of the state’s limits on business capacity and social distancing May 28 — sooner than the June 15 date he had previously announced.
“Virginians have been working hard, and we are seeing the results in our strong vaccine numbers and dramatically lowered case counts,” Northam said in a news release. “That’s why we can safely move up the timeline for lifting mitigation measures in Virginia. I strongly urge any Virginian who is not yet vaccinated to do so — the vaccines are the best way to protect yourself and your community from COVID-19.”
[…]
Mask-wearing will continue on what amounts to an honor system; Yarmosky said the state has no plans to institute a “vaccine passport” or require any kind of proof of vaccination.
So, there’s some good and bad here. The mask requirement for public transportation is just nonsensical. COVID won’t get you unless you ride the Metro? Really? It’s like the NCAA rules during March Madness. Players had to be masked up and socially distanced on the bench, but not on the basketball court? No science. No logic. Then again, no COVID vaccine passport system and lifting all limits on indoor capacity and social distancing is a good thing. By the end of the month, Virginia will be virtually open to all. COVID is over, though it’s probably been over for quite some time now as we’ve inched closer and closer to herd immunity, which is a thing. I know the experts have been averse to discussing that, along with the tens of millions of Americans who have acquired natural immunity