Vaccine passports will no longer be required in New York City starting March 7, Mayor Eric Adams said Sunday — and he plans on lifting school mask mandates then, too, barring “unforeseen spikes” in COVID cases.
Adams said he plans on following Gov. Kathy Hochul’s lead in nixing masks in schools but would make the final determination this Friday.
“At the end of this week, we will evaluate the numbers and make a final announcement on Friday. If we see no unforeseen spikes and our numbers continue to show a low level of risk, New York City will remove the indoor mask mandate for public school children,” Hizzoner said in a statement.
But he said starting March 7, patrons at Big Apple restaurants, gyms and indoor venues will no longer be required to show proof of vaccination.
“Additionally, New York City’s numbers continue to go down day after day, so, as long as COVID indicators show a low level of risk and we see no surprises this week, on Monday, March 7 we will also lift Key2NYC requirements,” the mayor said, referring to rules imposed last year by then-Mayor Bill de Blasio requiring proof of vaccination for indoor dining, indoor fitness, indoor entertainment and certain meeting spaces.
Adams said the one-week notice will “give business owners the time to adapt.”
Adams’ announcement comes just hours after Hochul lifted mask mandates in schools across New York starting Wednesday, citing new COVID guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
New York City recorded an average of 540 new COVID-19 cases in the last seven days, according to city data — down from over 2,000 daily at the beginning of the month.
One DOE source said she agreed with the mayor’s move to nix masks.
“I think most of the staff will be happy and the students can get back to focus on their education. There is a light at the end of the tunnel,” the DOE employee said. “The more things go back to normal, the sooner they’ll focus more. They’ve lost so much.”
The end of the indoor vaccine requirement does not mean Kyrie Irving can suit up for Nets home games, however — Irving is still required to get vaccinated by the city’s employee vaccine mandate.
In his statement Sunday, Adams made it clear that “all 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.”
Queens gym owner David Plasse cheered news that he would no longer have to check his patrons for vaccinations.
“Government overreach has been way too crazy for the past few years,” Plasse said. “At this point, each business should be able to make their own rules based on what they feel is right for their business.”
Andrew Rigie of the NYC Hospitality Alliance said he expects some establishments to do just that.
“This will be welcome news to many restaurants and bars,” Rigie said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if some businesses want to voluntarily keep it in place.”
Additional reporting by Elizabeth Rosner, Nolan Hicks and Bernadette Hogan