NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — Mayor-elect Eric Adams on Tuesday expressed his support for Gov. Kathy Hochul’s new indoor mask mandate but was unsure about New York City's upcoming private-sector vaccine requirement.
“I support what the governor is doing. It is a noninvasive way of just telling New Yorkers that this is a serious moment; and these spikes are coming and going – new variants – and from time to time, we have to adjust,” the incoming mayor told PIX11.
He noted that while he understands the pushback on masking up again, he feels New Yorkers want to do what is best for the city.
“I think New Yorkers realize that we don’t want to shut down our city,” Adams said.
Adams said that Hochul’s vaccine-or-mask requirement for New York state businesses is “really having people do the right thing” and he said he thinks “the overwhelming number of New Yorkers are going to do so.”
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The incoming New York City mayor said he is still considering how the policy will be enforced when he takes office – as the policy will remain in effect until Jan. 15.
However, he ensured New Yorkers that they will “not see people being treated in a harsh way.”
“We’re not going to be dragging people off to jail because they’re not wearing a mask,” Adams promised.
However, he said that authorities can be called in to deal with unruly patrons who refuse to comply with the orders and that police will be looking to have a “real conversation” with those people.
On Friday, Hochul announced a mask mandate in all indoor public places unless the businesses or venues require proof of vaccination.
Non-compliance with the order could result in business owners facing a $1,000 fine for every violation, the governor’s office said.
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The policy was designed to fight a recent uptick in some parts of upstate New York and western New York, but some counties in the state have already said they do not plan to enforce the mask mandate.
Meanwhile, Adams also said he would work with his own team to evaluate data in order to see if he will keep Mayor Bill de Blasio’s private sector vaccine requirement – scheduled to take effect on Dec. 27, just five days before he leaves office.
“If my Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Department of Health at the state level and the CDC say, ‘Eric, it’s something we need to do,’ then we’re going to do that,” he said.
“It’s always about following the science,” Adams added. “And that’s what I’m going to do.”
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