New York’s COVID surge is back — and so is its mask mandate
3 years ago

New York’s COVID surge is back — and so is its mask mandate

Associated Press  

NEW YORK — Facing a cold-weather surge in COVID-19 infections, New York Gov. Hochul said the decision to reinstitute a mask mandate was based on a rising number of cases and hospitalizations, which has been especially pronounced in parts of upstate New York. “We’re entering a time of uncertainty and we could either plateau here or our cases could get out of control,” Hochul warned at a public appearance in New York City. While Hochul said local health departments will be in charge of enforcing the requirements, Republican Rockland County Executive Ed Day said the governor’s staff was unable to provide detailed information about the new requirement. “Public responsibility is key here.” New York has the seventh highest rate of fully vaccinated residents: 70.1% as of federal data updated Friday.

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History of this topic

NY governor’s subway mask ban proposal sparks debate over right to anonymous protest
6 months, 1 week ago

NY governor’s subway mask ban proposal sparks debate over right to anonymous protest

Associated Press  

NEW YORK — A new proposal by Gov. “Because mask wearing is such a broad activity, done by so many people for so many reasons, it creates a real danger of selective prosecution against disfavored groups,” he said, adding that “COVID completely scrambled the contours of the debate over arcane mask laws.” New York previously banned public mask-wearing by groups …

Gov. Hochul considering a face mask ban on New York City subways, citing antisemitic acts
6 months, 1 week ago

Gov. Hochul considering a face mask ban on New York City subways, citing antisemitic acts

Associated Press  

ALBANY, N.Y. — Gov. Kathy Hochul said Thursday that she is considering a ban on face masks in the New York City subway system due to concerns about people shielding their identities while committing antisemitic acts. On one train, a man who was not wearing a mask led a small group in chanting “Raise your hands if you’re a Zionist” …

Hospitals forced to reintroduce masks after spike in Covid admissions
11 months, 1 week ago

Hospitals forced to reintroduce masks after spike in Covid admissions

The Independent  

Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Figures published by the NHS also show the number …

I'm an A&E doctor and this is why it's time to start wearing masks again... as experts issue dire warnings over a virulent new Covid variant
11 months, 2 weeks ago

I'm an A&E doctor and this is why it's time to start wearing masks again... as experts issue dire warnings over a virulent new Covid variant

Daily Mail  

It’s that time again. Dr Saleyha Ahsan says she always wears a mask in crowded places Now one of the UK’s leading experts, Sir Andrew Pollard, who is a professor of infection and immunity at the University of Oxford, is predicting ‘a rise in infections in the population over the course of the next week’, driven by a highly infectious …

More hospitals are requiring masks as flu and COVID-19 cases surge
11 months, 2 weeks ago

More hospitals are requiring masks as flu and COVID-19 cases surge

Associated Press  

NEW YORK — More U.S. hospitals are requiring masks and limiting visitors as health officials face an expected but still nasty post-holiday spike in flu, COVID-19 and other illnesses. “What we’re seeing right now, in the first week of January, is really an acceleration — of flu cases, in particular,” said Dr. Mandy Cohen, director of the Centers for Disease …

CDC map shows COVID-19 hotspots in US states as mask becomes mandatory
11 months, 3 weeks ago

CDC map shows COVID-19 hotspots in US states as mask becomes mandatory

Hindustan Times  

As COVID-19 cases surge in various U.S. regions, a map sourced from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention sheds light on the worst-affected areas. With hospital authorities recommending mask mandates, here's what you need to know: COVID-19 cases surge in US regions, CDC map reveals worst-affected areas. COVID-19 cases surge in US regions, CDC map reveals worst-affected areas. Hospital …

Start Wearing Masks, Says Health Minister
11 months, 3 weeks ago

Start Wearing Masks, Says Health Minister

Deccan Chronicle  

Hyderabad: Health minister Damodar Rajanarasimha on Wednesday urged the public to start wearing masks in public places and follow social distance protocols, while chairing a review on Covid-19 control in the state in the wake of the emergence of the JN.1 variant. The minister said that people experiencing Covid-like symptoms must visit a doctor, get advice and get themselves tested …

What Karnataka advisory on Covid JN.1 subvariant states
1 year ago

What Karnataka advisory on Covid JN.1 subvariant states

The Hindu  

The State government guidelines for feared COVID-19 surge issued on Tuesday, advise not only senior citizens, those with comorbidities, and those with covid-like symptoms to wear masks in public places, but also advises everyone to wear masks in crowded public spaces with low ventilation. When travelling overseas, stay vigilant and adopt relevant travel precautions, such as wearing masks at the …

Karnataka health minister advises senior citizens to wear masks, amid Covid surge in Kerala
1 year ago

Karnataka health minister advises senior citizens to wear masks, amid Covid surge in Kerala

Hindustan Times  

Karnataka health minister Dinesh Gundu Rao suggested the senior citizens of the state with co-morbidities to wear masks as the number of Covid cases see a rise in neighboring Kerala. Karnataka health min advices senior citizens to wear masks, amid Covid surge Speaking at Kodagu, the health minister said, “We will issue a detailed advisory soon and discussed regarding the …

During the 2023 holiday season, face masks have settled in as an occasional feature of American life
1 year ago

During the 2023 holiday season, face masks have settled in as an occasional feature of American life

Associated Press  

NEW YORK — The scene: A crowded shopping center in the weeks before Christmas. “I always carry one with me,” she says, “‘cause I never know.” Joe Holtz, co-founder and general manager at Brooklyn’s Park Slope Co-Op grocery store, walks the store’s isles where a policy requires shoppers to mask-up Wednesdays and Thursdays, Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023, in New York. …

Expert who has never caught Covid tells Aussies to wear face masks every time they leave the house - amid fresh mandate in one state
1 year, 1 month ago

Expert who has never caught Covid tells Aussies to wear face masks every time they leave the house - amid fresh mandate in one state

Daily Mail  

A leading epidemiologist who has never caught Covid-19 has advised Australians to wear face masks every time they leave the house to avoid catching the virus. Dr Zoe Hyde,who has never caught Covid-19 has advised Australians to wear face masks every time they leave the house if they want to stay Covid-free A recent surge in Covid-19 cases - Australia's …

Some Bay Area healthcare workers will have to mask again as threat of COVID, flu looms
1 year, 3 months ago

Some Bay Area healthcare workers will have to mask again as threat of COVID, flu looms

LA Times  

Registered nurse Ashley Cohagen works with a patient in the COVID area inside the intensive care unit at Providence Saint John’s Health Center on Dec. 15, 2020. Healthcare workers in several Bay Area counties will soon be required to wear masks in patient care settings as the region contends with continued coronavirus transmission and looks ahead to the wider respiratory …

There’s no sign of widespread COVID-19 mandates in the US. Republicans are warning of them anyway
1 year, 3 months ago

There’s no sign of widespread COVID-19 mandates in the US. Republicans are warning of them anyway

Associated Press  

Follow live: Updates from AP’s coverage of the presidential election. “No COVID-19 public health restrictions or mask requirements are being considered by the Murphy administration,” said Christi Peace, spokesperson for New Jersey Gov. Kathy Hochul was asked during a news conference Wednesday about whether she would consider mask or vaccine mandates: “We are in a place where we’re seeing low …

Why no one is talking about new mask rules even as COVID-19 rises in L.A.
1 year, 3 months ago

Why no one is talking about new mask rules even as COVID-19 rises in L.A.

LA Times  

Despite rising coronavirus outbreaks across Los Angeles County, officials said they have no plans for new public mask mandates — a sign of how COVID-19 policies have changed in an era of plentiful vaccines, lower death rates and back-to-normal culture. “We have such good tools right now that we really shouldn’t get there.” California COVID outbreaks hit workplaces, schools across …

Dr Fauci refutes study claiming that masks don’t work as Covid concerns rise
1 year, 3 months ago

Dr Fauci refutes study claiming that masks don’t work as Covid concerns rise

The Independent  

Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Get our free Health Check email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “I am concerned that people will not abide by recommendations—and we’re not talking about mandates …

Return of masks? COVID-19 cases surge; new variant ‘Pirola’ causes concern
1 year, 3 months ago

Return of masks? COVID-19 cases surge; new variant ‘Pirola’ causes concern

Live Mint  

COVID-19 cases in the United States have surged to levels reminiscent of the peak experienced last winter, causing concerns over the emergence of a new highly mutated variant known as "Pirola" BA.2.86 and the impending respiratory virus season. Dr. Georges Benjamin, the Executive Director of the American Public Health Association, highlights that masking remains a potent tool for mitigating COVID-19 …

COVID-19: should we start wearing masks again?
1 year, 3 months ago

COVID-19: should we start wearing masks again?

The Hindu  

One thing that can be guaranteed about COVID-19 is that evolution will provide us with a more or less constant stream of new coronavirus variants, some of which will be more successful at infecting people. It’s this worry that there may be a new wave of infections that has got some people talking about the need to reintroduce measures that …

Now Hollywood brings mask mandates back! Lionsgate studios which makes Saw and Hunger Games franchises asks office staff to don face coverings and test again - as Covid hospital rates rise for fifth w
1 year, 4 months ago

Now Hollywood brings mask mandates back! Lionsgate studios which makes Saw and Hunger Games franchises asks office staff to don face coverings and test again - as Covid hospital rates rise for fifth w

Daily Mail  

Has YOUR workplace reintroduced face masks? Get in touch: [email protected] They are also requiring employees to test themselves before going to the office A major Hollywood studio has reintroduced Covid mask mandates amid fears about rising virus rates and a new highly mutated variant. Lionsgate — best known for its horror franchise Saw and The Hunger Games — is asking …

Masks are back on at Lionsgate HQ as COVID outbreaks rise, including at ‘Masked Singer’ studio
1 year, 4 months ago

Masks are back on at Lionsgate HQ as COVID outbreaks rise, including at ‘Masked Singer’ studio

LA Times  

The change in policy at Lionsgate Entertainment comes after several employees tested positive for COVID-19, according to an internal memo. The policy change came after several employees tested positive for COVID-19, according to an internal memo. Of those, 14 were at workplaces, including a couple within the entertainment industry — the Directors Guild of America and “The Masked Singer” studio …

Top disease control body clarifies mask use
1 year, 8 months ago

Top disease control body clarifies mask use

China Daily  

Passengers wear masks on the subway in Beijing on March 30. ZHU ZHENQIANG/FOR CHINA DAILY China's top disease control authorities clarified on Wednesday that people do not need to wear masks in outdoor spaces and workplaces, on campuses and when working out. The National Administration of Disease Prevention and Control released the latest mask use protocol on Wednesday evening, at …

Top disease control body clarifies mask use
1 year, 8 months ago

Top disease control body clarifies mask use

China Daily  

Passengers wear masks on the subway in Beijing on March 30. ZHU ZHENQIANG/FOR CHINA DAILY China's top disease control authorities clarified on Wednesday that people do not need to wear masks in outdoor spaces and workplaces, on campuses and when working out. The National Administration of Disease Prevention and Control released the latest mask use protocol on Wednesday evening, at …

Top disease control body clarifies mask use
1 year, 8 months ago

Top disease control body clarifies mask use

China Daily  

Passengers wear masks on the subway in Beijing on March 30. ZHU ZHENQIANG/FOR CHINA DAILY China's top disease control authorities clarified on Wednesday that people do not need to wear masks in outdoor spaces and workplaces, on campuses and when working out. The National Administration of Disease Prevention and Control released the latest mask use protocol on Wednesday evening, at …

Masks must in BMC hospitals
1 year, 8 months ago

Masks must in BMC hospitals

Hindustan Times  

Mumbai: Seeing a rise in the number of active Covid-19 cases in the city, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has made wearing masks compulsory in its hospitals. Mumbai, India - April 10, 2023: Health workers participate in a mock drill after the Union Health Ministry decided to conduct a nationwide mock drill on 10 and 11 April to check the preparedness …

Covid spike in Mumbai, experts suggest mask mandate for people aged 45 and above
1 year, 8 months ago

Covid spike in Mumbai, experts suggest mask mandate for people aged 45 and above

India Today  

The Mumbai civic body on Monday made face masks compulsory for patients, visitors and employees in all civic-run hospitals as the city reported 95 fresh cases, a drop from more than 200 infections registered daily in the last six days. As Covid cases continue to rise in the city, medical experts are suggesting that masks should be made mandatory for …

Mumbai Covid-19 rise: BMC makes masks mandatory in all civic hospitals
1 year, 8 months ago

Mumbai Covid-19 rise: BMC makes masks mandatory in all civic hospitals

India Today  

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has made it mandatory to wear masks for employees, patients and visitors in municipal hospitals in view of the current Covid-19 situation in the city. Considering the increasing number of Covid-19 case in Mumbai, the BMC has also suggested all senior citizens above the age of 60 to wear masks as a precaution. The BMC commissioner …

Haryana Govt makes wearing face masks mandatory in public places
1 year, 8 months ago

Haryana Govt makes wearing face masks mandatory in public places

Deccan Chronicle  

Chandigarh : Amid a surge in Covid-19 cases, the Haryana government made wearing face masks mandatory in public places, said a bulletin issued by the Haryana Health Department on Saturday. The statement said, "It is intimated that in a meeting held under the chairmanship of Hon'ble Health Minister, Haryana on 03.04.2023, it has been observed that there is a significant …

DC Edit | Masks advisable as Covid could disrupt lives again
1 year, 8 months ago

DC Edit | Masks advisable as Covid could disrupt lives again

Deccan Chronicle  

Covid-19 is back in the news not just as a regular rejoinder but as a potential disruptor. The Union government must revisit the Covid protocols and prod state governments to decide what is to be introduced now. Several waves of the pandemic and different variants of the virus that have visited humanity in the last three years have given us …

Mask mandatory in this Maharashtra district amid spike in Covid cases
1 year, 8 months ago

Mask mandatory in this Maharashtra district amid spike in Covid cases

Live Mint  

Amid spike in COVID-19 and influenza cases in Maharashtra, the Satara district administration has made wearing of mask compulsory for employees and officials working in government and semi-government offices, colleges, and banks, news agency PTI reported. The collector also appealed to residents in the district to use masks and maintain social distancing, and hand hygiene in crowded places such as …

Covid Status Check: Masks Are Back, States on High Alert; UP, Kerala Mull New Strategies
1 year, 8 months ago

Covid Status Check: Masks Are Back, States on High Alert; UP, Kerala Mull New Strategies

News 18  

Covid cases in India have seen a spike the past month, with a 40% jump in daily cases on March 30. According to the World Health Organisation, the highest proportional increase of new Covid cases was observed in India, in the Southeast Asia Region from February 27 to March 26, 2023. Uttar Pradesh The Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh …

Covid claims another life, Chandigarh health dept advises caution
1 year, 8 months ago

Covid claims another life, Chandigarh health dept advises caution

Hindustan Times  

A day after an 88-year-old man became the latest Covid-19 fatality in Chandigarh, the health department came out with an advisory on Monday, cautioning residents to strictly adhere to Covid-appropriate behaviour to avoid another surge in cases. Chandigarh reported five fresh Covid-19 infections on Monday, pushing the active cases to 33. Eight-fold rise in active cases in three weeks In …

Column: COVID lab leak? Mask mandates? Why are we still having these fights?
1 year, 9 months ago

Column: COVID lab leak? Mask mandates? Why are we still having these fights?

LA Times  

On Monday, the White House announced there is no consensus in the Biden administration about whether COVID-19 sprang from a leak in a virus laboratory in China or was the result of a leap from another species to humans. I reserve my anger for the way the government under former President Trump bungled its response to the disease, the way …

This city had world's longest Covid mask mandate. Now scrapped after 1,000 days
1 year, 9 months ago

This city had world's longest Covid mask mandate. Now scrapped after 1,000 days

Hindustan Times  

Hongkongers will finally be able to leave home without a face mask from Wednesday, nearly 1,000 days after the pandemic mandate was imposed. Pedestrians wearing protective Covid mask Hong Kong was one of the last places on Earth to enforce mask-wearing outside, with violators facing hefty fines. "Making it illegal not to wear one is frankly anachronistic by now," University …

World’s longest Covid-19 mask mandate: This city is scrapping it after 945 days
1 year, 9 months ago

World’s longest Covid-19 mask mandate: This city is scrapping it after 945 days

Live Mint  

Hong Kong will lift its mask mandate from 1 March 2023, ending the city's last major restriction imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The city's Chief Executive John Lee said the requirement will end outdoors and indoors, including public transit, but some high-risk premises including hospitals and elderly homes can still require people to wear masks. Next month will see Hong …

Column: COVID deniers claim a new study says mask mandates don’t work. They should try reading it
1 year, 10 months ago

Column: COVID deniers claim a new study says mask mandates don’t work. They should try reading it

LA Times  

What is it about conservative COVID deniers and masks? Assuming he bothered to read the study all the way through, he seems to have missed this important admonition in the text: “The high risk of bias in the trials, variation in outcome measurement, and relatively low adherence with the interventions during the studies hampers drawing firm conclusions.” Something else he …

Wearing masks did ’little to nothing’ to help curb Covid spread, study reveals
1 year, 10 months ago

Wearing masks did ’little to nothing’ to help curb Covid spread, study reveals

Live Mint  

Face masks have done ‘little to nothing’ to curb the Covid-19 transmission, a new scientific review titled “Physical interventions to interrupt or reduce the spread of respiratory viruses” suggested. It conducted research on the findings of 78 randomized controlled trials to find out whether the physical interventions, including face masks and hand wash, limited the spread of respiratory diseases. “Wearing …

Masks made little or no difference in Covid-19 spread, new study suggests
1 year, 10 months ago

Masks made little or no difference in Covid-19 spread, new study suggests

India TV News  

A new review led by 12 researchers from universities around the world has examined whether wearing face masks helped prevent the spread of Covid-19. According to the study published by the Cochrane Library, "Wearing masks in the community probably makes little or no difference" in controlling the spread of Covid-19. However, it's important to note that the review included studies …

NYC ending COVID-19 vaccination mandate for city employees
1 year, 10 months ago

NYC ending COVID-19 vaccination mandate for city employees

Associated Press  

NEW YORK — New York City, which once had the nation’s strictest workplace vaccination rules for COVID-19, is ending one of its last such mandates, saying it will no longer require the shots for municipal employees including police officers, firefighters and teachers. We’re grateful that we can now, as we leave the emergency phase of the pandemic, modify more of …

Covid News: China Returnee 6-year-old Girl, Her Mother Test Coronavirus Positive in Tamil Nadu's Madurai
1 year, 11 months ago

Covid News: China Returnee 6-year-old Girl, Her Mother Test Coronavirus Positive in Tamil Nadu's Madurai

News 18  

Covid News Updates: Several hospitals across the country on Tuesday held mock drills to check the preparedness of health facilities to deal with any spurt in Covid-19 cases. Today mock drills are conducted across Covid hospitals in the country to make sure people get proper treatment,” Mandaviya said after reviewing the mock drill at the Delhi hospital. Deputy Chief Minister …

Health officials are urging masks again amid high COVID, flu levels
2 years ago

Health officials are urging masks again amid high COVID, flu levels

LA Times  

With COVID-19, the flu and other respiratory diseases circulating widely in Los Angeles County and elsewhere, many officials are urging residents to use a familiar tool to help thwart transmission: masks. As case rates rise, “your chance of catching COVID during your routine activities — grocery shopping, eating out, running errands, going to work — will increase,” according to Los …

Done with masks? Too bad, because COVID isn't done with us
2 years ago

Done with masks? Too bad, because COVID isn't done with us

LA Times  

I’m Paul Thornton, and it is Saturday, Dec. 10, 2022. I don’t know how else to respond, but what I have noticed is that people who would just rather not wear masks cite the disclaimers, caveats and qualifiers mentioned by highly regarded scientists such as Dr. Anthony Fauci and run with them — while ignoring that these experts strenuously favor …

Will you mask up again? A January mandate looms for L.A. if COVID-19 wave worsens
2 years ago

Will you mask up again? A January mandate looms for L.A. if COVID-19 wave worsens

LA Times  

With coronavirus cases surging and hospitalizations worsening, Los Angeles County is again facing the possibility of a renewed public indoor mask mandate. “We are seeing a rapid acceleration again,” L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said. “This is the time to put that mask back on.” Any new indoor mask mandate hinges on two metrics related to the pressure …

DC Edit | Don’t give up masks altogether
2 years, 1 month ago

DC Edit | Don’t give up masks altogether

Deccan Chronicle  

The notification of the civil aviation ministry on Wednesday relaxing the rules on wearing masks on flights and in airports marks an important milestone in the nearly three-year-long fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. The world has been on edge ever since a cluster of cases of pneumonia was reported in Wuhan in China’s Hubei province on December 31, 2019. The …

COVID-19: 'Wearing masks on flight no longer compulsory, but is advisable,' says Government
2 years, 1 month ago

COVID-19: 'Wearing masks on flight no longer compulsory, but is advisable,' says Government

Firstpost  

Additionally, it stated that any specific reference of a fine or other penalty was not required to be made during in-flight announcements New Delhi: The civil aviation ministry on Wednesday said the use of masks is not mandatory during air travel; however, passengers should preferably use them amid the declining number of COVID-19 cases. In a communication to the scheduled …

No Covid restrictions needed yet, Health Min. says as vaccinations open to everyone 12+
2 years, 2 months ago

No Covid restrictions needed yet, Health Min. says as vaccinations open to everyone 12+

NL Times  

Companies and organizations don’t have to take measures against the coronavirus yet but are free to do so if they wish. People between the ages of 40 and 60 can make an appointment next week, and “in principle the week after,” everyone from 12 to 40 can do so, Kuipers said. But according to Kuipers, it is ‘not yet necessary …

With COVID-19 rules disappearing, if you're the only one in a mask, will it still keep you safe from infection?
2 years, 2 months ago

With COVID-19 rules disappearing, if you're the only one in a mask, will it still keep you safe from infection?

ABC  

COVID-19 restrictions are winding down and as of Friday anyone who tests positive will no longer be required to isolate. "We likely saw that effect because even people who didn't have symptoms and so didn't know they had COVID were still wearing masks and so reducing their risk of transmitting infection to others," he says. "Any mask that doesn't fit …

Return of the mask! Five NHS trusts have already brought back mandatory face covering rules
2 years, 2 months ago

Return of the mask! Five NHS trusts have already brought back mandatory face covering rules

Daily Mail  

At least five NHS trusts in England have brought back mask requirements due to Covid's resurgence, MailOnline can reveal. Some are also telling patients to wear masks and reimposing social distancing guidelines, in scenes reminiscent of the earliest days of the pandemic It comes as Kate Middleton was pictured wearing a mask today while on a visit to Royal Surrey …

Queensland's COVID-19 mandate for masks on public transport to be scrapped
2 years, 3 months ago

Queensland's COVID-19 mandate for masks on public transport to be scrapped

ABC  

Queensland is ending the requirement for people to wear face masks while on public transport. Key points: The rule will be relaxed for staff and commuters from midnight The Health Minister asked the public to respect those who chose to continue wearing masks Masks will still be required in vulnerable settings, by close contacts and those who have left just …

L.A. County could soon drop this key COVID mask rule. Here’s why
2 years, 3 months ago

L.A. County could soon drop this key COVID mask rule. Here’s why

LA Times  

Los Angeles County’s requirement that riders wear masks aboard public transit or in transportation hubs such as airports could end this month if coronavirus case rates decline further. And because the person with COVID is often capable of infecting others for up to 48 hours before they develop any symptoms — and some people never develop symptoms and yet can …

New Zealand ends most Covid restrictions as pandemic worry eases
2 years, 3 months ago

New Zealand ends most Covid restrictions as pandemic worry eases

India Today  

New Zealand scrapped mask wearing rules and vaccine mandates on Monday, bringing an end to some of the toughest Covid-19 pandemic rules in the world about two years after they were put in place. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said in a weekly news conference that it was time to safely turn the page on the country's Covid-19 management and live …

New York drops mask requirement on public transportation
2 years, 3 months ago

New York drops mask requirement on public transportation

Associated Press  

NEW YORK — New York state is dropping its mask requirement on public transportation thanks in part to the availability of new booster shots targeting the most common strain of COVID-19, Gov. Masks will be encouraged but not required on buses and trains including the New York City subway system, Hochul said. “Basically, we’re going from mandatory to optional.” Face …

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