There will still some places like public transit and theatre’s that will require masking….
But the ‘Big Apple’ joins the rest of the country in moving relax pandemic restrictions as case numb ers drop dramatically….
Mr. Adams made the announcement in Times Square in Manhattan and said it was part of his efforts to reopen New York after a steep drop in coronavirus cases.
Starting on Monday, students will no longer have to wear masks indoors at public schools. Children under 5 must continue to wear masks because they are not yet eligible for vaccination.
Also as of Monday, people will not be required to show proof of vaccination to visit the city’s restaurants, gyms and other venues like movie theaters. Masks are still required on public transit and in some venues, including Broadway theaters.
“It’s time to reopen our city,” Mr. Adams said on Friday.
Coronavirus cases have dropped quickly over the last month after a surge caused by the Omicron variant. The city is logging about 500 daily cases now and 25 hospitalizations compared with more than 40,000 cases and 1,000 hospitalizations per day in January.
Still, some health experts have raised concerns that Mr. Adams is moving too quickly to remove pandemic restrictions and that the proof-of-vaccination requirement, known as the Key to NYC program, has helped keep New Yorkers safe, especially because the city has so many international visitors….