US reopens: 96.2% drop in new COVID-19 cases
State-by-state reopening updates: Did America finally 'flatten the curve'?
Highlights
- COVID hit America hard, as the world's powerful nation recorded the most number of COVID-19 infections, at 33.5 million cases.
- It also sustained the most number of coronavirus deaths — 602,000 as of June 20, 2022 — more than double the 291,557 US casualties during World War II, which lasted five years.
- Now, with nearly 46% of the population fully vaccinated, at least 42 states have fully reopened, with face masks no longer mandatory.
- The latest state-by-state reopening updates.
After more than a year of mask and stay-in-place mandates, America is reopening. At least 41 states have already reopened, with no masks required, as of Monday (June 21, 2021). Other states have either reopened or have set a reopening criteria, with masks required indoors for the unvaccinated. In most states, new cases are down more than 90% from their peaks, in some cases, up to 99%.
Did the US finally "flatten the curve"?
COVID hit America hard. Since March 2020, the world's powerful nation recorded the most number of COVID-19 infections, with 33.5 million cases. It also sustained the most number of COVID deaths — 602,000 as of June 20, 2021. That's more than twice the 291,557 US casualties from World War II, which lasted five years.
The trends are heading in the right direction across its 50 states. Today, the US has become the world’s leading nation in mRNA vaccinations, with 150 million people fully vaccinated, representing 45.7% of the nation's population. With 177.3 million having had at least 1 dose, its vaccine deployment rate is among the highest in the world.
Data gathered by Johns Hopkins University show that new daily cases of the coronavirus peaked at 300,779 January 8, 2021. Six months later, after the massive vaccination ramp, new daily cases were down to a seven-day average of 11,243 as of Tuesday, June 21, 2021 — a 96.2% drop.
42 states: Mask mandates removed
A state-by-state status update, based on Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Centre, OurWorldinData, and the New York Times reports [We're updating this list as new information becomes available]:
