California fully reopens economy after over a year of COVID-19 curbs

California, one of the most populous states in the United States, has officially reopened its economy after more than a year due to the decline in COVID-19 cases in the country.

The state is lifting most of its restrictions, such as physical distancing and capacity limits in businesses, reported The Washington Post.

"We are not announcing a mission accomplished but a substantially, full-throttle, turn-the-page reopening of California's economy because the state has one of the highest vaccination rates in the world," California Governor Gavin Newsom said during an Instagram Live.

"We are ready to come roaring back," he added.

Newsom called on people who are still unvaccinated against COVID to get their shots. In California, 59 per cent of the entire population has received at least one shot, as per the official data.

"If you want to go back to normal, you want to get back to the old routines, you never want to look back, you want this pandemic to be behind us once and for all, you have got to get vaccinated," the Governor said. "Until we hit that threshold, this thing can come back."

Quoting a new health order released by the California Department of Public Health, Xinhua reported that almost all industry and business sectors may return to usual operations with no capacity limits or physical distancing requirements.

Masks are no longer required for fully vaccinated individuals in most public settings.

California was the first state in the United States to issue a statewide stay-at-home order over a rapid spread of COVID-19 in March last year. It was once the epicenter of the disease in the country with the highest number of cases and deaths.

( With inputs from ANI )