RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper has decided to lift the state’s outdoor mask mandate. He is also increasing indoor and outdoor gathering limits. Starting Friday, 100 people can assemble indoors and 200 people may gather outdoors. The Democratic governor has said he hopes to further ease restrictions and possibly eliminate the mask mandate altogether if at least two-thirds of North Carolina adults are at least partially vaccinated. Nearly half of adults have gotten at least one COVID-19 shot. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says vaccinated Americans don’t need to cover their faces outside anymore unless they are in a big crowd of strangers.

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