Will Mask Wearing Still Be Part Of Your Routine In NY? [POLL]

NEW YORK — There was a major shift this week in New York and the United States in dealing with the new coronavirus pandemic.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the New York Health Department changed their requirements about wearing masks on public transportation.

Gov. Kathy Hochul said Wednesday that masks will no longer be required for airports, for-hire vehicles, shelters, correctional facilities, as well as buses, subways and trains.

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That brings the state in line with how the CDC changed guidelines.

"Basically, we'll be going from mandatory to optional," Hochul said.

Mask requirements will continue to be in place for hospitals, nursing homes and adult care facilities, she said.

The rollback of the mandate doesn't mean that people aren't allowed to wear masks.

Hochul said she expects many people to continue masking up on public transportation, as well as in stores and other places.

"That is their choice," she said, "we encourage them to do that."

In Westchester County, Executive George Latimer said Wednesday that masks would no longer be required on the Bee-Line buses or ParaTransit.

He said the largely steady COVID rates were making the disease a part of our collective new reality.

However, it is not an illness that should impact day-to-day life as it did two years ago, Latimer said.

Now it's your turn to weigh in on the issue. Vote in our unscientific poll and tell us what you think in the comments.