Mask hysteria: These NYC opponents are still waiting for ‘the time we can all walk around without masks’

Sunday marked the end of yet another COVID-era restriction — hospitals and nursing homes in New York City will no longer require masks to enter.

“We are in transition… COVID is a treatable and preventable disease,” Acting State Health Commissioner James McDonald said as he announced the policy change.

The move comes after Mayor Adams last week canceled a mandate to vaccinate city workers.

But while these are important signs that the Big Apple has returned to its pre-COVID-19 status quo, stubborn opponents remain when it comes to face coverings. The world may have changed, but in some parts of New York it hasn’t.

New York City’s public hospitals will continue to need masks, as will some sectors of Gotham’s culture.

Broadway dropped the mask mandate last July, but some off-Broadway venues didn’t.


There are several performances at the Public Theater that require a mask.
There are several performances at the Public Theater that require a mask.
Tamara Beckwith/NY POST

While these are important signs that the Big Apple has returned to its pre-COVID status quo, there is still a stubborn hold back when it comes to face coverings.
Tamara Beckwith/NY POST

There are several performances at the Public Theater that require a mask.

The Atlantic Theater Company still requires all students, staff and spectators to wear masks, according to its website, and did not respond to The Post’s request for comment.

Others, such as the Manhattan Theater Club and the Public Theater, came to a compromise on the contentious issue. They set aside a few performances a week for masked spectators only, and leave the rest of the performances up to everyone.

A theater veterinarian who has worked on numerous Broadway and off-Broadway shows said these theater rules have helped bring nervous vultures back into the ranks and buy tickets again.


Some establishments still insist that people wear masks.
Some establishments still insist that people wear masks.
Stephen Young for NY Post

“While the industry certainly looks forward to a time when we can all walk around without masks, we stand for anything that makes the respected theatergoer feel comfortable in a performance, and – these days – wearing a mask is a solid part of the audience feeling more comfortable.” a source told The Post.

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater also continues to insist on the use of masks.

“For the safety of everyone in the building, all dancers, students, teachers, musicians and staff must wear masks at all times in the classroom and in public areas,” its website said in a statement. (Alvin Ailey’s rep did not return a call from The Post to inquire about the policy.)

And a handful of small businesses are still exercising their discretion to abide by their COVID-era rules.

At the Community Bookstore, which has two branches in Brooklyn, masks are required to search for books, an employee confirmed, noting that some employees and customers are immunocompromised.

Earlier this month, The Late Show host Stephen Colbert caused widespread ridicule on social media after a camera showed his viewers that they were all wearing masks.

The Colbert Show requires its studio audience at the Ed Sullivan Theater to “be fully vaccinated and provide personal proof of vaccination,” according to the official website used to book tickets. In terms of camouflage, the show ties its policy to Manhattan’s “community risk level” as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“According to the CDC, when New York County is in an area of ​​medium or high risk to the public, masks must be worn at all times in the theater to cover the nose and mouth,” its rules state.

Critics have criticized the Colbert code on COVID.

Clay Travis, founder of sports news site Outkick, called the masked contestants “smug, anti-science misfits” with “broken brains.” Another Twitter user joked: “I have a feeling that masks for the left have become like open wear for the right.”

– additional reporting by Johnny Oleksinski

Content Source

Dallas Press News – Latest News:
Dallas Local News || Fort Worth Local News | Texas State News || Crime and Safety News || National news || Business News || Health News

texasstandard.news contributed to this report.

Related Articles

Back to top button