Allowed to go maskless, some New York City students choose not to.

For the primary time in two years, college students in New York Metropolis had been allowed to attend public faculty with out masks on Monday, however a few of them mentioned they might hold them on.

At elementary faculties and excessive faculties, college students and fogeys alike expressed concern that it was too quickly, regardless of the declarations by Mayor Eric Adams that town has crushed again the Omicron variant of the virus.

“We did our jobs as New Yorkers, and now we’re profitable,” Mr. Adams mentioned in a tv interview on Monday on NY1. “Covid is now not accountable for our lives. We’re accountable for our lives.”

However solely 52 percent of Ok-12 public faculty college students citywide are totally vaccinated, in accordance with metropolis knowledge, and 59 p.c of scholars have acquired not less than one dose. The town’s depend additionally reveals that the doses haven’t been distributed equally.

At Stuyvesant Excessive Faculty in Decrease Manhattan, the place 93 p.c of scholars are vaccinated, one of many highest charges within the metropolis, greater than half a dozen college students mentioned earlier than the college day began that they might hold their face coverings in place. Just a few mentioned they deliberate to put on masks indefinitely.

“There actually is not any remedy for Covid at this level,” Ella Chan, 17, a junior at Stuyvesant, mentioned earlier than the 8 a.m. bell. “There’s simply an excessive amount of uncertainty for me.”

Eden Di Lella, 15, a sophomore, mentioned: “I’ve additionally simply been asking round, simply being interested by who’s actually protecting the masks on, and it simply has been an awesome variety of yeses, in comparison with taking it off.” She famous, although, that others had talked about exceptions for refrain or health club class.

Max Shimbo, 14, was one of many few not sporting a masks. “I belief the individuals within the mayor’s workplace,” he mentioned of how he made his determination. “They know what number of circumstances we’re getting and the way many individuals are vaccinated, so I belief they made the suitable selection.”

On Staten Island, Richard Kreie, 5, a kindergartner, was so relieved concerning the finish of the masks mandate that on Friday after faculty he stomped on his and threw it away. On Monday morning earlier than heading into faculty at P.S. 1 within the Tottenville neighborhood, the place 10 p.c of the scholars are vaccinated, he pulled down his decrease lip to indicate why. Considered one of his backside enamel simply had dropped out, and he couldn’t wait to mug with the brand new hole in his smile. “I adore it,” he mentioned. “It’s enjoyable.”

His mom, Danielle Imparato, mentioned she was pleased concerning the finish of the mandate. “It was good at first,” she mentioned. “Nevertheless it’s long gone time now.”

Emma Billera, 7, a second grader at P.S. 1, mentioned taking her masks off made her really feel “pleased, so you may breathe.”

Her mom, Gabby Billera, mentioned she was weary of the masks mandate. “We’ve been following the principles, however no person knew it could be this lengthy,” she mentioned.

However some older college students mentioned they apprehensive that the mandate had been lifted too early.

“I believe that it’s dumb, as a result of Covid continues to be round, and simply two months in the past the circumstances flared up out of nowhere,” mentioned Alana Rivers, a 15-year-old freshman at Boys and Women Excessive Faculty within the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, the place 46 p.c of the scholars are vaccinated. “So I believe that if you happen to take off the masks, it’s going to make issues worse.”

She mentioned she nonetheless deliberate to put on a masks. “I really feel nervous as a result of lots of people are going to be uncovered to Covid outdoors of college and now at school,” she mentioned.

Adeel Hassan contributed reporting.

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