Gov. Tom Wolf made the right decision in acting quickly to adopt Centers for Disease Control changes to mask and social distancing guidelines last week.

Unlike New York, where Gov. Andrew Cuomo hemmed and hawed over the new federal guidelines, Alison Beam, acting state health secretary, issued a statement quickly on Thursday saying the state would adopt the new guidance, leaving the ultimate decision on mask wearing to businesses and schools.

Pennsylvania’s mandate that unvaccinated people continue to wear masks in public will remain in place until 70% of the adult population is vaccinated.

One would hope that returning to some semblance of normal behavior would entice holdouts to sign up for a vaccine. But at least Wolf and Beam aren’t feeding into doubts from those who are vaccine hesitant by clinging to restrictions.

The converse is also true — quickly following the new federal guidance should be a reassuring sign to those who are vaccinated but still uncertain about gatherings that they are protected by the vaccine and can begin resuming life as they knew it before last March.

We still think Wolf has exercised too much power over the past year, but at least in this instance, the governor has struck the right tone.