Adams: City vaccine mandate, school mask requirement could be lifted March 7
New York City Mayor Eric Adams. Credit: Getty Images / Alex Kent
Mayor Eric Adams announced Sunday that vaccination requirements for indoor public activities such as dining, entertainment and gyms will be lifted March 7, as long as infection rates remain low.
Adams' decision to lift the city's "Key2NYC" policy, which requires anyone 5 and older to show proof of vaccination before participating in public indoor activities, will take effect "as long as COVID indicators show a low level of risk."
He noted that the extra week will give business owners time to adapt and will allow the city to "ensure" they are making the best public health decisions for the people of New York.
On Feb. 10, Adams told Newsday that the city’s vaccine mandates would continue indefinitely — and that the city had set no infection benchmarks below which the mandates might be rescinded. But last week, Adams said that a rollback of the mandates was coming soon, provided his public health advisers agreed.
"I can't wait to get it done," Adams said Feb. 23.
The mandates have been in place since last year, and began under Adams' predecessor, Bill de Blasio.
Adams also said Sunday that if infection rates remain low, the city will remove the indoor mask mandate for public school children, effective March 7, in the wake of Gov. Kathy Hochul's decision to lift the state's school mask mandate.
"Our schools have been among the safest places for our children since the beginning of the pandemic, and we will continue to make the proper public health decisions to keep our kids safe, including making masks available for any child or school staff member who wishes to continue wearing them," Adams said in a statement on Sunday.
The decision comes on heels of the governor’s announcement to end the hotly contested mask mandate, following the CDC releasing data that declared Long Island is in a "green zone" which allows the mask mandate to be dropped.
Adams said other vaccine mandates in New York City will remain in place "at this time as they are, and have been, vital to protecting New Yorkers."
