Topline
Mayor Bill de Blasio stopped short of mandating New York City residents to wear masks indoors in a news conference Monday, yet he urged people to wear masks in indoor settings even if they are fully vaccinated against Covid-19, citing an alarming surge in infections and related recommendations from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
De Blasio also announced Monday that every new city employee would be required to provide proof of ... [+]
Key Facts
The mayor said government officials, following the advice of health experts, "strongly recommend" that people, even those that are vaccinated, wear face coverings in public indoor spaces.
Last week, the CDC issued new guidance recommending that vaccinated people resume wearing masks indoors in parts of the country that exceed certain Covid-related thresholds.
All five of New York City's boroughs have recorded "substantial" or "high" transmission rates.
De Blasio also announced Monday that every new city employee would be required to provide proof of vaccination before they can begin working.
Crucial Quote:
"If you don't know the people around, if you're not sure if they're vaccinated or not, or if you know some are unvaccinated, it's absolutely crucial to wear a mask even if you are vaccinated," de Blasio said.
Key Background:
Following increases in breakthrough infections of the delta variant among fully-vaccinated individuals, the CDC said last week that people should wear masks indoors in parts of the country that have recorded more than 50 new infections per 100,000 residents, or where the positivity rate is 8% or higher. "The Delta variant is showing every day its willingness to outsmart us," Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the CDC., said Tuesday, adding, "this is not a decision we at the CDC have made lightly." Some major metropolitan cities, such as Washington DC, Atlanta and Los Angeles County, have since mandated masks. De Blasio remains hesitant to take that step, often reiterating he wants to primarily focus instead on vaccination efforts. Last week, he told CNN, "masks can be helpful, we are going to delineate to New Yorkers the best way to use masks, but they don't change the basic reality. Vaccination does." Last Monday, de Blasio announced New York City would require all of its roughly 45,000 municipal workers to get vaccinated. "If people want freedom, if people want jobs, if people want to live again, we have got to get more people vaccinated," de Blasio said in mid-July. Last week, he declared the city would offer $100 to any resident who gets their first dose of a coronavirus vaccine at a city-run site.
Tangent:
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) said Monday he has asked private businesses to implement vaccine mandates for employees as well as patrons. “Private businesses, I am asking them and suggesting to them: Go to vaccine-only admission,” Cuomo said during a news conference. “We did this, Radio City Music Hall, months ago. Reopened vaccine-only, sold out all the shows… Private businesses, bars, restaurants. Go to a vaccine-only admission. I believe it's in your best business interest.”
Big Number:
10 million. That's the number of total doses the city had administered, as of Monday morning, according to de Blasio. Approximately 55% of NYC residents are fully vaccinated.
Further Reading:
NYC Imposes Covid-19 Vaccine—Or Weekly Test—Mandate For 340,000 City Workers (Forbes)
CDC To Reinstate Mask Guidance For Vaccinated Americans In Certain Circumstances (Forbes)
