QUEENS LEADERS OUTLINE KEY PRIORITIES
AS CITY LIFTS KEY COVID-19 REQUIREMENTS
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TIMESLEDGER | QNS.24 COM | MARCH 11 - MARCH 17, 2022
in the neighborhood
schools.”
The speaker noted
that during the recent
omicron surge, Black
New Yorkers were twice
as likely to be hospitalized
for COVID-19 as
white New Yorkers, in
part believed to be due
to the lower vaccination
rates and a legacy of
health inequities.
“In areas that continue
to be disproportionately
impacted and under
vaccinated, we must
invest in public health
and wellness,” Adams
said. “As has been the
case throughout the pandemic,
it will be critical
for the city to remain
flexible and willing to
allow the status of COVID’s
impact on our city
to dictate our policies.
We must not be afraid to
enact more stringent policies
if the public health
environment requires
it, just as we cannot fear
loosening policies as conditions
improve.”
During his Times
Square briefing on
March 4, the mayor announced
that starting
today restaurants, fitness
facilities and entertainment
centers are
no longer required to
ask patrons for proof of
vaccination at the door,
however, he said they
still have the discretion
to ask customers about
their vaccine status before
allowing them to
enter. The mayor added
that public school students
would no longer be
required to wear a mask
but children under 5 will
still have to mask up.
“New York is experiencing
the lowest COVID
numbers since the
start of the pandemic
and it seems a good time
to begin reducing restrictions,
especially for
restaurants and other
entertainment venues
which have suffered
greatly,” Health Committee
Chair Lynn Shulman
said. “With that, it is important
to always follow
the science, and explore
creating guidelines for
future healthcare measures
based on case levels
and other appropriate
criteria.”
All other COVID-19
mandates will remain
in effect, the mayor said.
Under the rules, employees
will still be required
to be vaccinated unless
they have received a reasonable
accommodation
from their employer.
“COVID-19 has been
ever-evolving forcing us
to constantly adjust but
we are resilient,” said
Councilman Francisco
Moya, chair of the Subcommittee
on COVID-19
Recovery and Resiliency.
“Two years ago we did
not have the tools and lessons
learned to protect
ourselves and others.
As we move forward, we
need to continue to monitor
the trends and new
variants to ensure that
we can pilot as needed to
protect our most vulnerable
communities, our
families, our local businesses
and the recovery
of our city.”
BY BILL PARRY
Two years after the
COVID-19 pandemic
forced Queens residents
to change their lives, key
elected members of the
borough’s delegation on
the City Council are calling
for clear communication
and a focused effort
to address health and
vaccination disparities
going forward.
Mayor Eric Adams
announced on March 4
that the city would halt
its vaccine requirement
for indoor businesses
and drop the mask
mandate for K-12 public
school students beginning
March 7.
“As New York City’s
COVID-19 case rates and
hospitalizations continue
to decline, we have
reason to be optimistic
about our city’s future
because of the work New
Yorkers did to protect
each other and public
health,” Speaker Adrienne
Adams said. “More
than three-quarters of
all New Yorkers are fully
vaccinated, which has
proven to save lives and
prevent the most severe
impacts of the virus. Yet,
serious disparities still
exist. In order to address
continued health inequities,
the city should enact
a major effort to address
the stark disparities in
vaccination rates across
school districts and communities.
Many communities
of color have lower
vaccination rates, especially
amongst students
Several Queens leaders welcomed the announcement
from Mayor Eric Adams that the city would lift key
COVID-19 requirements. Courtesy of mayor’s offi ce
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