New York is returning to “life as we know it” after at least 70% of adults in the state have received at least one COVID jab, its governor has said.

Andrew Cuomo announced on Tuesday he is lifting virtually all remaining COVID-19 restrictions for businesses and social settings.

It comes on the day the US, the worst-affected country during the global pandemic, hit another grim milestone as the number of people who have died passed 600,000 from more than 33 million cases.

Latest COVID news from the UK and around the world

Today New York State reached our goal of 70% adult vaccination.

That means we can return to life as we know it.

Effective immediately, state-mandated COVID restrictions are lifted across commercial and social settings. pic.twitter.com/sMdqkSJ6h5

Addressing an invited audience at the World Trade Centre, Mr Cuomo said: “What does 70% mean? It means that we can now return to life as we know it.”

COVID restrictions are being lifted across more than a dozen commercial and social settings, including childcare, camps, food services, offices, real estate, amusement, gyms and more, Mr Cuomo said.

The state is immediately lifting restrictions that limited the size of gatherings and forced some businesses to follow cleaning protocols, take people’s temperatures or screen them for recent COVID-19 symptoms.

Firms no longer have to adhere to social distancing rules or limits on the number of people allowed inside.

But for the time being, masks will still need to be worn in schools, subways, large venues, homeless shelters, hospitals, nursing homes and prisons.

Fireworks displays will be held across the state on Tuesday evening to honour essential workers, Mr Cuomo said, with bridges, along with the Empire State Building, lit blue and gold.

Good morning California.

It’s reopening day.

We’ve administered over 40 million vaccines.

Now…

No more social distancing.

No more capacity limits.

No more colors or county tiers.

And if you’re vaccinated—no more masks.

It’s a good day.

Mr Cuomo said: “It’s our way of saying thank you all across the state. I’ll tell you how to honour essential workers. You get vaccinated so you don’t need the essential workers again.”

Half of all 20 million residents in New York are fully vaccinated, according to government figures released on Monday, while about 58% of residents of all ages have at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

The city has been averaging around 450 new coronavirus cases a day over the last week, the lowest level since the pandemic began.

Vaccination rates are particularly low in parts of the state that were hit hard by the winter coronavirus surge, including parts of New York City and rural counties in western and central New York.

California, the most populous US state and the first to impose a coronavirus lockdown, has also dropped state rules on social distancing and limits on capacity at restaurants, bars, supermarkets, gyms, stadiums and other places, governor Gavin Newsom said on Tuesday.

Passing 600,000 means the US death toll is now more than the population of cities such as Baltimore or Milwaukee and about equal to the number of Americans who died of cancer in 2019.

Worldwide, about 3.8 million people have died from COVID-19.

Related posts:

Announcer uses racial slur against girls’ basketball team who took the knee during national anthem More pressure on Cuomo to quit as top Democrats urge NY governor to resign over harassment claims Boxing champion ‘Marvelous’ Marvin Hagler dies unexpectedly aged 66 Meeting with the Queen at Windsor Castle will be ‘huge honour’ for Biden Three killed, two missing after dropping over dam in inflatable rings – four rescued after 19 hours Moon ‘wobble’ to bring a surge of severe flooding in 2030s, NASA warns ‘This killed my dreams’: Britney Spears says she won’t perform again while conservatorship remains ‘I’m not nervous, I’m excited’: Jeff Bezos ready for flight to edge of space Cyclist seriously injured in alligator attack after falling down embankment in Florida Harvey Weinstein extradited to California to face more sexual assault charges Elon Musk sells Tesla stock worth $5 billion after promising to abide by Twitter poll Man convicted of murder alongside boxer who inspired Dylan song Hurricane dies aged 75