Riders are nonetheless required to put on masks whereas taking public transportation in New York Metropolis, regardless of a federal decide in Florida’s ruling on Monday to overturn the nationwide masks mandate on planes and public transit.
With the decision-making energy left within the palms of native transit companies, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which operates New York’s subway, bus and commuter-rail networks, doubled down on its masks requirement.
Tim Minton, a spokesman for the M.T.A., confirmed on Monday night the mandate would stay in place, citing a March 2 choice by the New York state well being commissioner, which famous the protections mask-wearing affords from transmitting the coronavirus, particularly on public transportation.
The M.T.A. falls below state management, and Gov. Kathy Hochul voiced her help for maintaining the mandate, whereas additionally emphasizing the significance of vaccinations and common testing.
“Do your half to maintain your neighbors protected,” she wrote on Twitter on Tuesday.
Tony Utano, the president of the Transport Staff Union Native 100, which represents subway and bus staff, mentioned he backed the M.T.A.’s choice to “hold each riders and transit staff protected.”
The town’s Taxi & Limousine Fee, which oversees taxis and for-hire autos, together with Ubers and Lyfts, mentioned on Tuesday that they’d nonetheless require drivers and riders in taxis and people ride-share autos to put on masks as properly.
Uber had mentioned on Tuesday that it could cease requiring masks in america, as airways and different transportation firms relaxed Covid-related insurance policies. Lyft adopted with an analogous announcement, however each firms mentioned native rules would supersede their very own guidelines.
In neighboring New Jersey, Gov. Philip D. Murphy ended the masks mandate for New Jersey Transit.
New Yorkers using the subway Tuesday morning largely welcomed the continuing masks necessities. Joseph Gill, 58, mentioned he was nonetheless afraid of bringing the virus dwelling to his household, particularly since he lives together with his 85-year-old father, his immunocompromised spouse and his three-year-old grandson, who is just too younger to get vaccinated.
Dropping masks necessities on public transportation now could be too dangerous, he mentioned.
“No matter what they are saying, I wish to shield my household,” Mr. Gill mentioned as he waited for an uptown B or C practice on the 72nd Road station in Manhattan. “I hate it, however I’m going to maintain carrying it.”
Ready for the G practice in Williamsburg, Jingting Fang, 22, echoed that sentiment, saying that she felt safer when she noticed folks carrying masks on the subway.
The trains are sometimes full of crowds, she mentioned, including that she wished to see extra penalties enforced for many who don’t put on masks.
“Covid remains to be very a lot occurring,” Ms. Fang mentioned.
However some mentioned they have been confused by the dissonance between the nation’s sudden rollback and town’s masks steering.
Juliet Peters, 33, who was additionally ready for an uptown B or C practice at 72nd Road, mentioned masks have been required when she flew to California to go to her household over the weekend. However when she received on the aircraft Tuesday to fly again to New York Metropolis, she was instructed masks have been now optionally available.
“I used to be like, ‘What?’” she mentioned. “I wasn’t certain about what to do.”
She wore her masks for the flight again anyway, and mentioned she would proceed to put on masks on the bus and subway. With the Omicron subvariant referred to as BA.2 on the rise and the potential for extra waves sooner or later, she mentioned, carrying a masks is “extra snug” for her.
Treasured Fondren contributed reporting.
