New York ends mask requirement for subways, buses and other mass transit

A Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) logo is displayed on the side of a subway train in Manhattan, New York on June 2, 2021.

New Yorkers don't need to wear masks on mass transit.

The decision to lift the mandate was made based on declining infections, hospitalizations and the availability of new boosters that target the dominant omicron subvariant BA.5.

If New Yorkers take advantage of this booster, we think we're in a good place. Hochul said during the news conference that they want to return to a normal normal.

New York instituted mask mandates on public transit more than two years ago.

Hochul said that masks are still needed in hospitals.

There is no data on the effectiveness of the shots yet, but the omicron boosters are expected to provide better protection against infections.

New York has seen a decline in covd hospitalizations since January.

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