(Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office)
July 29, 2021 By Allie Griffin
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has determined that Queens residents, even those fully vaccinated, should wear masks indoors as COVID-19 cases are rising in the borough.
The CDC issued a recommendation Tuesday that residents in more than 2,100 counties across the country — including Queens — should wear masks in indoor public settings regardless of their vaccination status.
The federal agency said the new recommendation applies to counties that it qualifies as areas of substantial community transmission — like Queens — or areas of high community transmission.
Counties, such as Queens, are deemed to have “substantial community transmission” when there are between 50 and 99 new cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 people in the past seven days.
Counties with “high community transmission” have had more than 100 new cases of the virus per 100,000 people in the past seven days.
All five boroughs meet one of these classifications, with Manhattan, Brooklyn and the Bronx also deemed areas of substantial community transmission. Staten Island, meanwhile, has high community transmission.
The CDC has issued new mask guidance for individuals in substantial or high-transmission areas and K-12 schools. pic.twitter.com/2lqRxYSIGg
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) July 27, 2021
The recommendation represents a switch from the CDC’s previous policy. The agency had only recommended mask use indoors for the unvaccinated prior to Tuesday.
The change comes amid the growing prevalence of the highly-contagious delta variant and the increase in “breakthrough cases” or people who are vaccinated and contract COVID-19. The delta variant now accounts for the vast majority of coronavirus cases in the U.S.
The five boroughs are among the more than 60 percent of counties nationwide that have high or substantial community transmission, according to the CDC. While the agency recommends universal mask use indoors for these counties, the localities ultimately decide whether to impose a mask mandate.
Mayor Bill de Blasio has not yet announced such a mandate in the city despite all five boroughs falling into the CDC’s recommended categories.
“We are assessing the new information from the CDC right now,” de Blasio said Wednesday morning. “We got it less than 24 hours ago, and it is complicated information, so our health team’s reviewing it and we’ll have more to say on it in the next few days.”
City health officials have repeatedly said they are focused on getting more New Yorkers vaccinated rather than mask usage as a way to fight COVID-19 and the new delta variant.
In Queens, 78.5 percent of eligible residents (age 12 and older) have had at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine and 69.8 percent are fully vaccinated, according to CDC data.
Despite the relatively high rate, pockets of Queens have low vaccination rates and the virus is spreading.
Far Rockaway (11691), for example, has the lowest vaccination rate in the city — just 37.7 percent of its residents have gotten at least one dose, according to city data.
New COVID-19 cases, deaths and hospital admissions have all increased in Queens over the past seven days, according to CDC data.
(CDC)
The CDC also issued new guidance on mask wearing in schools Tuesday. The agency said that everyone should wear a mask in schools regardless of their vaccination status this fall.
New York City has already required universal mask use in schools as well as in hospitals, subways and buses, and residential congregate settings. Unvaccinated residents are required to wear a mask in all indoor public settings.
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16 Comments
Donovan Richards needs to get Southeast Queens to mask up like it’s 2020 and get everyone vaccinated!
Why shouldn’t he be getting all of Queens to mask up? Is it because he only serves SE Queens because of BLM? Or is it because he beat the racist ass you supported? Karen, you are just too funny!
Take a look at the NYC Health Dept. website for vaccination rates in Queens. Southeast Queens is the laggard with only about 40 percent fully vaccinated so far. That is a deadly serious problem.
So yeah, our QB President has some work to do to bring those vaccination numbers up. And of course we all should mask up, but especially those who are still unvaccinated.
If Cuomo and De Blasio are having indoor press conferencing they should lead by example and wear a mask.
Many business are no longer enforcing mask only policies to enter anymore. They either do not want to lose business or they are trying tp avoid confrontation. I always wear a mask indoors and require masks when i have people entering my house. Many repair men always forget to put one on.
Whether your vaccinated or not you should still get tested for covid 19 especially after traveling or being in a large gathering. The same thing happened in Europe. People got the shot, things started opening back up, masks came off and covid 19 infections rose.
Linda – You neglected to mention the part where the numbers also came down.
To avoid vaccination is one thing because of concern about side effects; but, choosing not wearing a face mask is like playing Russian Roulette.
Meanwhile..let’s keep all borders and international travel wide open!
As vaccinated I feel BAD for mandatory mask wearing, but I’ll wear mask for the GOOD for the Whole community!! Now extend unemployment benefits and evictions!
I think anyone who understands the importance of mask wearing to inhibit in some way the transmission of Covid could have seen this spike coming. Really, who thought it was a good idea to relax mask wearing when a new more virulent strain was just immerging in prominence? You can still have and spread covid even after being vaccinated and show no symptoms.
Tell the CDC to go blank itself; it is unreliable and enjoys confounding people.
DKY-You come across as a gullible fool. We were told the shots would protect us from hospitalization and severe illness and that’s exactly what they’re doing. Fact!
Just two weeks to flatten the curve.
I laughed at my sister for packing up and moving out of NYC last year. Now she has plenty of outdoor space, friendly neighbors, is in a safe neighborhood, sleeps peacefully at night and i am envious, tired and scared.
Eliana- You’re ridiculous