Here we go.
New York City’s indoor mask advisory is back!
New York City health officials told New Yorkers to “wear a high-quality mask, such as an N95, KN95 or KF94 in all public indoor settings and around crowds outside.”
“We’re currently seeing high levels of COVID-19 in NYC.: health officials said.
The new advisory was issued due to the fast-spreading Omicron Covid variant BA.5.
NBC New York reported:
All five boroughs of New York City are back in the CDC’s high-risk category for COVID community spread as of the agency’s Friday update, a reflection of the increasingly infectious national climate as the “worst version” of omicron yet holds its dominance.
Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, the Bronx and Staten Island had all been in the CDC high-risk category for the latter half of May and transitioned to medium risk through June as viral rates and hospital admissions associated with that wave ebbed. The relief was short-lived, though, with all five boroughs now in a heightened state of risk.
That means face masks are recommended for everyone indoors and in public settings, regardless of vaccination status — again. It comes as some neighborhoods in Manhattan and Queens are seeing 25% positivity rates (again). City health officials renewed their indoor mask advisory on Friday in light of the updated COVID data.