NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — Mayor Bill de Blasio said Monday that masks may be a part of school in the fall as variants drive new COVID-19 cases and vaccine rates stall in New York City.
The mayor aims to have all teachers and students back in the classroom in September, with safety precautions in place, including mask wearing in school buildings, which de Blasio said is "the smart thing to do."
"We'll give people updated guidance when we get, you know, a few weeks out from school, but I think folks can anticipate right now is every child in school, there will be a lot of communication before school and once it begins. For now assume we're wearing masks, but that could change as we get closer," de Blasio said. "We'll keep assessing as we go along, but I think for now it still makes sense."
On the flip side, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last week issued new guidance saying vaccinated teachers and students don't need to wear masks inside school buildings.
De Blasio said much will depend on the COVID-19 numbers, which have ticked up again.
In a week, new infections have jumped 32% in New York City, mostly in communities where people have taken a pass on the vaccine.
Of the boroughs, Staten Island is seeing the biggest spike.
The positivity rate in the city is back above 1%, while hospitalizations are down 24%.
New York is among 25 states experiencing rising COVID infections. Health officials say the rapidly-spreading delta variant is responsible for severe illnesses in unvaccinated populations.