California Gov. Newsom signs order to end most of state's coronavirus restrictions, reopen Tuesday

California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday signed an order that will lift most pandemic-related restrictions in the state, allowing it to officially reopen on Tuesday.

"California is turning the page on this pandemic, thanks to swift action by the state and the work of Californians who followed public health guidelines and got vaccinated to protect themselves and their communities," Newsom said in a statement. "With nearly 40 million vaccines administered and among the lowest case rates in the nation, we are lifting the orders that impact Californians on a day-to-day basis while remaining vigilant to protect public health and safety as the pandemic persists." The state will remove most state-imposed restrictions on masks, capacity limits and social distancing, although many businesses will likely keep some in place. A new state mask order that takes effect Tuesday allows vaccinated people to go most places – indoors and outdoors – without masks but still requires face coverings in public spaces for those who aren’t vaccinated. It was unclear how that would be enforced.