<Anchor> In



the United States, where there were once more than 1 million confirmed cases per day, the number of patients recently decreased significantly as the omicron mutation peaked.

At the same time, more areas are taking off masks one by one, and some say it is still too early.



Correspondent Kim Jong-won from New York brought the news from the United States.



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On the 10th of last month, the number of new daily infections in the United States exceeded 1.3 million, reaching the peak of the Omicron crisis.



Since then, the number of confirmed cases has steadily decreased, and recently dropped to 190,000, which is one-seventh.



In this atmosphere, New York State, which had the highest number of confirmed cases in the United States, has decided to lift the mandatory indoor mask.



[Cash Hocal/Governor of New York: The number of confirmed cases and the number of hospitalized patients are decreasing.

Accordingly, we have decided to lift the mandatory indoor mask wearing starting tomorrow.]



Nine states including New Jersey, Massachusetts, and California have abolished the mandatory mask.



With the exception of these nine states, other US states have not mandated wearing masks despite the spread of Omicron.



The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has expressed concern that it is too early to remove the mask, although it is making new mask guidelines.



[Michelle Wallensky / Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): The guidelines for wearing a mask are, of course, decided by each municipality.

However, the CDC recommends that you continue to wear a mask in areas with high contagiousness.]



Not only the United States, but also European countries that experienced the great spread of Omicron mutation before us are preparing for with Corona by easing quarantine measures one after another.



Germany has decided to lift the mandatory vaccine pass next week, and the UK has decided to eliminate self-quarantine for confirmed cases as early as this month.



(Video coverage: Lee Sang-wook, video editing: Jo Moo-hwan)