Mayor Makes Masks Optional for NYC’s 2 to 4-Year-Olds in School

By Yehudit Garmaise

“We want to see our babies’ faces,” said Mayor Eric Adams after he announced this morning that the first wave of public-school students who will be able to attend school without masks are 2 to 4-year-olds: starting April 4.

“We are currently at a low-risk environment [of COVID], and so today, if the risk remains low we are announcing that masks will be optional for 2 to 4-year-old students in school and in daycare,” Mayor Adams said. 

Before Adams considers removing masks for New York’s public school students from kindergarten through 12th grade, he said he wants to ensure that city’s risk of COVID “remains in a low place.” 

Mayor Adams’ announcement comes as health officials track the spread of a new variant of Omicron, that shows signs of even higher transmissibility.

Ashwin Vasan, MD, NYC’s newest health commissioner, however, emphasized that the subvariant, which now accounts for 30% of COVID cases in the city, does not seem to cause more severe illness or increase risk of hospitalization than did previous variants.

“While cases are increasing slightly, hospitals have plenty of capacity, and our admissions remain low,” said Dr. Vasan. “If we see the levels of risk rise: either before or after the mandate is lifted, however, we may be having another conversation.”

Mayor Adams also expressed concern about the long-term illnesses experienced by children who are hospitalized for COVID and emphasized he was not afraid to “pivot” back to restrictions if the COVID risk level in NYC rises.

“COVID positivity has remained low, which is a great sign that we are moving at the right pace and doing the right things, [as we drop restrictions],” said Mayor Adams. “It is time to pull back another layer.”

 Photo: Flickr