New York Gov. Hochul lifts mask mandate for mass transit
Masks will still be required in health care facilities, clinical settings
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Wearing a mask on New York City mass transit is now optional.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Wednesday that the decision was based on the latest COVID-19 numbers, which she highlighted were on a "phenomenal trend," as well as Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance. The seven-day average of cases totaled 3,400 and there were 17.8 cases were 100,000 people, with hospitalizations also "stabilized."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 24: New York Governor Kathy Hochul speaks, joined by New York City Mayor Eric Adams and the newly appointed ATF Director Steve Dettelbah, as she delivers remarks about their joint effort to combat gun violence at the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) office on August 24, 2022, in New York City. (Photo by John Lamparski/Getty Images)
Hochul presented a yellow sign that would be posted, reading: "Masks are encouraged but optional. Let's respect each other's choices."
"What that means is, you choose not to have a mask. That is your personal decision. You'll do your own personal risk assessment of who you're exposed to, your own vulnerabilities, where you work … You make your own determination, but do not judge your fellow passengers on what their choices are. Let's be respectful," she said.
While variants are still at-large, masking requirements will remain in effect in state-regulated health care facilities and clinical settings.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Two women look at their phones while waiting on a subway. platform during Labor Day Weekend on September 04, 2022, in New York City. (Photo by Alexi Rosenfeld/Getty Images)
Hochul said now, the state is in a "far different place" than previously during the ongoing pandemic and that she was "optimistic."
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In a tweet, Hochul said that policies would be adjusted as necessary.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}When asked about riders who could be unsettled by the news on their way home from work, Hochul said that omicron-specific boosters would play a critical role in defense against the virus.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 15: People cross the street in front of a bus at Times Square on August 15, 2022, in New York. (Photo by John Smith/VIEWpress via Getty Images)
Hochul got a COVID booster shot live during the press briefing.
"And also, people are getting back to work and they're getting back to school," she replied, noting that if people aren't wearing a mask in those places "it makes sense to not worry about it on the way."
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Tweeting an example of one of the signs, the MTA removed part of its name that instructed riders to "Wear a Mask."
The New York Taxi & Limousine Commission still calls for masks in cabs and ride-share vehicles.