[ad_1]
Getting rid of the indoor mask mandate in city schools is just “around the corner,” Mayor Eric Adams said Friday morning, shortly after the Department of Education announced that outdoor face-covering requirements will be lifted by Monday.
“The numbers are moving in the right direction,” he said during a television appearance on PIX11, “and we’re going to follow the science because remember, we can’t allow our city to close down again out of our anticipation, right?”
NYC schools Chancellor David Banks revealed that students, staff and visitors will no longer be subject to the mask rule on school grounds, following reports that the Biden administration is expected to ease mask-wearing restrictions.
“Our schools have remained some of the safest spaces for students & staff, thanks to our gold standard health & safety protocol. I’m so pleased that we are able to make this exciting announcement & safely allow students & staff to remove their masks when outdoors at @NYCschools,” Banks said in a tweet.
Adams reiterated he’s not willing to make any changes to the Big Apple’s COVID-19 restrictions until his health care officials tell him the move is in the best interest of public health and safety.
“It is my job to manage your expectations. We’re gonna let the health care professionals to do their job because I don’t want to see you in three days and you say, ‘Eric, you said this day you’re gonna do X.’”
When probed about whether he’ll make a decision sooner rather than later about lifting additional vaccine mandates that presently bar Nets player Kyrie Irving from playing at home games because he refuses to get vaccinated, Adams remained firm.
“Listen, you bring a championship game here, you bring in millions of dollars in revenue, but we cannot base our decisions on sports. The real game we’re fighting is a game of safety and health, and we’re going to make the right decision for New Yorkers. I want that championship ring, but not at the expense of making sure we shut down our city again — and if it falls in line and falls in line, if it’s not, we got to make the right decision for New Yorkers,” said the mayor.
[ad_2]