NEW York City has suspended some COVID restrictions beginning Monday, March 7, including vaccination requirements for businesses and school mask mandate.

“It’s time to open our city and get the economy back operating,” Mayor Eric Adams said. “The overall restriction is being removed. This is about giving people the flexibility that is needed to continue to allow not only safety, but we have to get our economy back on track.”

This means that people can now “come in and enjoy the restaurants, enjoy the businesses, and be a part of this great city without having to show proof of vaccination.”

NYC’s current positivity rate over a seven day average is 1.8 percent. Over 6.4 million New Yorkers are fully vaccinated and over 17 million doses have been administered.

Adams also announced that the indoor mask requirements for DOE schools between K-12 are also lifted, saying that the schools’ positivity rate is 0.18 percent.

“That is a great initiative and I know there are some who say that they still want their children to wear their masks – you can. We are not going to get in the way of your discretion,” Adams explained. “We want New Yorkers to be smart, flexible, and to be able to feel comfortable without any bullying or without any teasing.”

Masks will now be an option in indoor settings and will be available for students and staff and anyone who wants to wear one because Adams said they want to give people that comfort level.

“We are far from out of the woods. COVID is still here, but we are beating it back. We are showing them that we’re going to beat it back, and New York is back,” Adams said.

Masks will also still be required on mass transit and at medical facilities.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recently updated their federal mask guidance saying that most Americans don’t need to wear face mask in indoor public settings unless there’s a heightened risk of severe disease or health system strain. n