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As federal health officials on Thursday cleared the way for Americans who are fully vaccinated against the coronavirus to drop mask wearing in most situations, some states lifted mask mandates, while others took a more cautious approach. ... Most of the state officials who responded to the shift were Democrats. Half of the country’s governors — most of them Republicans — had already lifted mask mandates in some form. (Tumin, Rabin, Mandavilli and Weiland, 5/14)

Oregon Gov. Kate Brown has announced that the state will immediately follow guidance from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention which ease indoor mask-wearing and social distancing for fully vaccinated people. Brown said in a video statement Thursday that the new CDC guidance means Oregonians who are fully-vaccinated no longer need to wear masks or social distance in most public spaces. (5/14)

Pennsylvania health officials immediately updated their guidance to align with the CDC’s, while New Jersey officials said they were reviewing the new advice. “Today’s guidance from the CDC affects only people who are fully vaccinated,” said Pennsylvania acting Health Secretary Alison Beam. “This is another incentive to get the vaccine that is now easily and conveniently available. Once 70% of Pennsylvanians over 18 are fully vaccinated, we can completely lift the masking order.” (McCullough, Silverman and Whelan, 5/13)

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Thursday that those fully vaccinated for COVID-19 can stop wearing masks in most indoor and outdoor settings, though Massachusetts and some other states said they would keep their local restrictions in place for now. President Biden and federal officials lauded the announcement as a major turning point in the country’s fight against the virus, even as some medical experts questioned its timing and cautioned that masks will remain a part of daily life for some time to come. (Platoff, Fox and Mui, 5/13)

State health officials are urging Alaskans to continue to follow local mask requirements and business-specific rules after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday relaxed its guidance for those who are fully vaccinated. In a significant shift, the CDC said Thursday that fully vaccinated people can now go safely without face coverings in most indoor and outdoor settings. But many communities across the state — including Anchorage and Juneau — still require mask-wearing in most public settings, and most as of Thursday afternoon had yet to make any changes based on the latest guidance. (Berman, 5/13)

It wasn’t clear heading into Friday when and whether California would adopt new health guidelines after the federal government said fully vaccinated people can quit wearing face coverings and social distancing in most situations outside or inside. Counties across California are waiting for word from the state on potential new guidance following Thursday’s announcement by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC still calls for wearing masks in crowded indoor settings, such as buses, planes, hospitals and prisons, and says residents should follow local rules. California’s Department of Public Health did not immediately respond to requests for comment. (Weber and Har, 5/14)

The Marion County Public Health Department will review the guidance along with local COVID-19 case and vaccination rates and make a recommendation to the City-County Council, said Dr. Virginia A. Caine, department director and chief medical officer. The revisions in the CDC guidelines speak to the vaccine’s efficacy when it comes to preventing serious illness and death, Caine said in an emailed statement. “In Marion County, the outlook is good — but efforts to get more people vaccinated and reduce the impact of COVID-19 continue,” she said. (Rudavsky, 5/13)

Pandemic-weary New Yorkers had their hopes deflated Thursday when Gov. Andrew Cuomo said he wasn’t ready to ease the state’s mask mandate — even though the feds gave the green light for vaccinated Americans to finally show their faces and gather indoors again. (Hogan and Golding, 5/13)

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said Thursday that he'll pardon anyone in the state who has been charged for violating COVID-19 safety measures like masking and social distancing. DeSantis made the announcement on Fox News while discussing the case of two gym owners who faced criminal penalties for refusing to enforce social distancing and mask mandates in their establishment. (Powell, 5/13)