When In Doubt, Wear A Mask: Mayor's Advice As NYC Reopens

NEW YORK CITY — To mask, or not to mask — that is the question facing New Yorkers as the city reopens.

Whether they're fully vaccinated largely answers it. Those who received their one- or two-dose vaccine can go maskless in most places, even in many indoor spaces, according to CDC guidelines and state rules that took effect Wednesday.

But, for those still sorting through the dos and don'ts of mask wearing, Mayor Bill de Blasio offered some simple advice.

"When you're not sure, my personal advice is, wear a mask when you're not sure," he said. "If you just prefer to wear a mask, that's okay. Whatever you want to do in that case is fine."

Wednesday marked the first day in more than a year that large swaths of New Yorkers could go without masks. Likewise, most social distancing requirements and capacity limits were eased or eliminated completely.

The reopening represents a "milestone" in the coronavirus pandemic, Gov. Andrew said.

"This means that, 399 days after New York was the first state in the country to implement a mask mandate, effective today, fully vaccinated individuals no longer need to use a face covering in most public places," Cuomo said in a statement.

But the reopening is replete with caveats. Unvaccinated New Yorkers still have to abide by indoor mask rules, as well as at outdoor dining spaces and gatherings.

Fully vaccinated New Yorkers, while they can avoid face coverings outdoors and in many indoor spaces, still have to mask up on public transportation and inside schools, nursing homes, homeless shelters, health care facilities and correctional facilities. They also have to follow rules for private businesses that require mask wearing.

"The bottom line is, if you're vaccinated, you have more freedom," de Blasio said. "If you're vaccinated, you can breathe easier and you are safer. If you're not vaccinated, it would be smart to go get vaccinated."

Then there's the question — as posed by Politico reporter Erin Durkin to de Blasio — of how New York City businesses and other indoor spaces that set mask rules will enforce them.

"How are they supposed to distinguish who's vaccinated and not vaccinated?" she asked.

De Blasio said he didn't believe that honor system type of arrangement would be a problem. New Yorkers are still "working it out," he said.

"People listen to the guidance, they followed it, and a lot of people are going to keep their masks on now because they just want to be careful, and I think that will go on for a while," he said. "But I think most people respect each other, and if the rule is, if you want to come in here, we're asking you to keep your mask on, people will honor it. I think that's the simplest way to proceed."