New York latest to roll back mask mandates as US eyes normalisation

New York joined a wave of Democrat-run US states to roll back mask mandates, as health officials increasingly talk about America moving towards a phase where Covid-19 doesn't disrupt daily lives.

Masks remain a hot political issue in the United States as the country gears up for key midterm elections later this year that could determine the second half of Joe Biden's presidency.

Democrats have led the enforcement of mask mandates, while Republican-led states such as Texas and Florida have gone as far as banning the mandatory wearing of face coverings.

New York governor Kathy Hochul announced that she would not renew an indoor mask mandate for businesses when it expires on Thursday, citing a 96 percent decline in reported infections since early January.

Instead, it will be up to individual cities and businesses whether they want to require masks inside.

Hochul said the state was "trending in a very, very good direction."

"That is why we are now approaching a new phase in this pandemic," she told reporters.

She added, though, that face coverings in schools would remain mandatory until she reviews the situation next month.

Illinois governor J. B. Pritzker said masks will no longer be required in most indoor public places by February 28 but, like Hochul, kept the mandate in place for schools.

Their announcements came after several states unveiled plans to lift mask requirements in indoor places and schools, as coronavirus infections fall in America.

The loosening of the restrictions also comes in response to an increasingly pandemic-weary public and as northern neighbour Canada grapples with trucker-led protests against Covid rules that have paralyzed the capital Ottawa.

California's indoor mask mandate for vaccinated residents is set to end on February 15 but unvaccinated people will still need to wear masks indoors, said Governor Gavin Newsom.