Photo: AFP
New Yorkers are no longer required to wear masks on public transit, according to an announcement Wednesday from Governor Kathy Hochul.
The mandate was implemented on mass transit early on in the pandemic in 2020.
Gov. Hochul's action was effective immediately, though it came months after enforcement of the mandate ended and a large portion of the public stopped heeding the rule.
"Masks are encouraged but optional on our mass transit across out state of New York," Hochul said. "If you choose not to have a mask, it's your own risk assessment. You make your own determination but do not judge your fellow passengers on what their choices are."
Indoor masking rules remain in effect for healthcare facilities, Gov. Hochul added.
Hochul added a thanks to transit riders who complied with the mask mandate throughout its duration. She said the repeal of the mandate came following encouraging trends in state COVID data.
New York's rolling case average dropped 39 percent in the last month, with COVID hospitalizations down 20 percent.