As COVID cases have been on the rise due to the spreading Delta variant, one politician is suggesting we revert to previously established mandates to keep things under control.
Cases are rising in NYC (up 2x+ in past 2 weeks), driven by delta.
Indoor mask use in NYC is falling—in delis, stores, subways, movie theaters etc.
We need to reverse this trend.
It’s time to renew the indoor mask mandate, including for those who are vax’d.
— Mark D. Levine (@MarkLevineNYC) July 17, 2021
District 7 Councilmember Mark Levine continued to state that “The rule of thumb should be: in indoor settings where there’s no screening for vax/test status, everyone should wear a mask. This must include vax’d because there’s a very small chance they can still receive/transmit, & because we need mask solidarity. Otherwise it doesn’t work.”
Levine cited “…highly vax’d places where delta has taken over (UK, SF, etc) [and] hospitalizations started to rise a few weeks after the rise in cases. This is likely to happen soon in NYC too. This is overwhelmingly driven by unvax’d people succumbing to a variant which is incredibly contagious.”
Mixed reactions swiftly followed the Council Member’s arguments.
No. This in insane. By that argument, there is no metric for ever taking them off. As a vaxxed person I’ve been feeling so happy and just mentally *free* going to movies, small concerts, the gym, etc. without having to wear one.
— Shea (@shearogersnyc) July 17, 2021
Mark, I couldn’t agree more! I have at least 10 fully vaxxed friends/acquaintances in NYC who’ve been dxed with Delta COVID in the past few weeks. Only one got seriously ill, but the point stands. Delta is a vicious beast. Protect kids, immunocompromised, & elderly by masking.
— Priscilla Gilman (@priscillagilman) July 17, 2021
The New York Times reported on July 14 that recent days have seen upwards of 400 new cases, double the numbers from a few weeks back, and that the test positivity rate has also doubled. The Times article states that while medical experts find the increase concerning, the consensus seems to be that, with over 60% of NYC adults fully vaccinated, a new wave is unlikely to outpace those of the pandemic’s peak.
In a July 15 email from Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, the BP responded to the Times writeup by saying it “sort of buries the significance of what is now starting to happen in the city,” continuing to state that “Experts quoted in the story describe themselves as ‘concerned’ rather than panicked, because they believe that the vaccines are doing what they were designed to do: prevent serious, hospital-worthy illness. But just because someone isn’t hospitalized doesn’t mean they aren’t hurting. And those who are not getting vaccinated are not just acting against their own self-interest– each of those individual decisions are creating an environment that’s dangerous to us all.”
🚨 Manhattan’s daily COVID-19 rate has breached 1% and is now at 1.31%. NYC’s average is at .99%. If you are not vaccinated by choice, the health of our borough is in your hands. Make the right choice. #VaxUpManhattan pic.twitter.com/wL4bqnYQ11
— Gale A. Brewer (@galeabrewer) July 13, 2021
Patch reported on July 13 that the Upper East Side’s positive test rate that week was close to 1% in three UES zip codes, more than double the rate from one month prior.
Patch further broke down the current vaccination numbers by zip code, showing the Upper East Side to be one of the most vaccinated neighborhoods in NYC:
- 10021: 71% first dose received, 68% fully vaccinated
- 10028: 70% first dose received, 67% fully vaccinated
- 10065: 77% first dose received, 73% fully vaccinated
- 10075/10162: 85% first dose received, 80% fully vaccinated
- 10128: 73% first dose received, 70% fully vaccinated
