Facing a rise in cases, NYC considers bringing back local mask mandates
NEW YORK -- With COVID levels rising in New York City, the mayor will meet with his top health advisors to discuss restoring local mask mandates.
New York City's alert level is at "low," but last week Health Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan warned it would likely rise this week to "medium."
Mayor Eric Adams is now scheduled to meet with his health team to see if bringing back the mask mandate is needed.
It's not necessarily what New Yorkers want to hear, but with cases rising again, some are airing on the side of caution by getting that test.
"Especially with numbers going up, better to be safe than sorry," Bronx resident Mary Drace-Laske told CBS2.
"I'm getting a COVID test because I was exposed Friday night," another person said.
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The daily average number of cases for the last seven days is up to more than 2,000 and increasing. It was over 1,800 last week. But those numbers could actually be higher because many people are testing at home but not reporting the results.
"Many more people are using rapid tests than are using PCR tests. That's certainly the case among patients that I have," said Dr. Edward Telzak, chairman of the Department of Medicine at Saint Barnabus Hospital in the Bronx.
The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation estimates that only 7% of positive COVID-19 cases are being detected, meaning rates are actually more than 14 times higher. Hospitalization rates right now are considered stable.
Meanwhile, the mayor is out of COVID isolation and resuming in-person news conferences. On Monday, at a joint conference with former Mayor Michael Bloomberg on an unrelated topic, he was asked about rising COVID numbers and if he'll make a decision on possibly reinstating a mask mandate.
"After meeting with my health team, we're going to make a determination," Adams said. "COVID is unashamed about trying to disrupt our lives and we cannot be ashamed to pivot and shift where our needs are."
His decision could come as soon as Tuesday following a meeting with his top health advisors.
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