New York is lifting its mask mandate for vaccinated people in most locations on Wednesday. It will join New Jersey and Connecticut in easing the bulk of its remaining COVID-19 restrictions on businesses the same day. Massachusetts will follow suit on May 29.

With vaccination rates rising, blue states are gradually embracing masklessness and reopening, in accordance with revised guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that were issued last week. “We have to get back to life and living — and we have to do it the way New Yorkers do it,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced from an empty Radio City Music Hall.