3月7日,纽约市的市民终于可以收起疫苗接种卡和口罩,但这并不意味着他们能够万事大吉。
纽约市的市长埃里克·亚当斯于3月4日在时代广场(Times Square)宣布,3月7日起,距离新冠疫情爆发大约两年之后,纽约市将不再要求市民在室内用餐或听音乐会时出具疫苗接种证明。
从3月7日开始,5岁及5岁以上的儿童在学校不需要配戴口罩。亚当斯从中看到了经济复兴的迹象。他说:“显然这就像阿诺德·施瓦辛格所说的那样:我们会回来的。”
但亚当斯目前仍然不打算撤销对全市公共和私营部门员工必须完成疫苗接种的强制要求。这意味着餐厅员工必须接种新冠疫苗,不过对顾客没有强制要求。5岁以上的儿童可以不配戴口罩,但年龄更小的幼儿不符合疫苗接种条件,必须配戴口罩。没有接种疫苗的篮球明星凯里·欧文依旧不能在布鲁克林篮网队(Brooklyn Nets)的主场巴克莱中心(Barclays Center)上场比赛,但未接种疫苗的球迷能够在球馆观看比赛。
健康专家表示,新冠疫情发展到现在,政府官员必须尽可能科学地制定公共健康政策。新冠感染率急剧下降,7天阳性率下降至1.8%。此外,纽约市近87%的成年人已经接种了两剂疫苗。
纽约大学格罗斯曼医学院(NYU Grossman School of Medicine)的人口健康学助理教授安娜·贝尔施泰因表示:“防疫工作取得了惊人的进展,自然带来了一些回报,例如不需要坚持查看市民的疫苗接种证明。我们很幸运目前处在疫情的平静期。总体而言,现在可以松一口气,恢复正常活动。”
贝尔施泰因指出,亚当斯宣布取消对室内活动的强制疫苗要求,是一项合理的举措,避免了每次去餐厅或健身房都要掏出疫苗接种卡的麻烦。她认为这项强制要求给人们带来了很多不便,相比之下雇主的强制疫苗规定对市民的影响较小,人们只需要在工作中一次证明其疫苗接种状态即可。
但她警告纽约市的市民,这并不意味着疫情时代的结束。她说:“我们完全有可能迎来新一波疫情,为了保证安全我们可能不得不再次容忍这些不便。我们要接受一件事情,那就是疫情反反复复,就像是在冷天穿的外套一样。”
为此,纽约市卫生局的局长戴夫·乔克希宣布推出一款使用颜色编码的新冠风险警报系统,“一旦感染者激增或病毒传播力增强,该系统能够为纽约市的市民提供指引,减缓目前或未来面临的风险。”他表示:“虽然这波疫情正在减弱,但我们不能认为新冠疫情即将结束。我们还有很多事要做。”
如果感染者病例再次激增怎么办?亚当斯称:“只要有任何理由需要修改政策,我们就将毫不犹豫做出调整或改变。”
商界的反应
纽约取消疫情限制的目的之一是帮助吸引更多游客。在此之前,波士顿、华盛顿特区和费城也都采取了类似措施。亚当斯说:“这是我们选择在时代广场宣布这一决定的原因。我们希望吸引加拿大、阿肯色州,甚至新西兰的游客来纽约。当然不只是来纽约随便走走,我们希望人们可以到这里来消费。”
纽约市的一些餐厅对政府取消疫苗强制规定的决定表示欢迎。它们发现,查看顾客的疫苗接种证明是一项单调乏味的工作,不仅代价高昂,有时候还可能存在危险,因为员工需要询问顾客,甚至可能要面对未接种疫苗的顾客。
位于下东区的餐厅Fat Choy的主厨及老板贾斯汀·李表示:“这项工作感觉是在浪费时间。到现在继续查看疫苗接种卡像是一种官僚主义。”他说:“这会降低服务效率,因为在门口查看疫苗接种证明的人数是有限的。在奥密克戎疫情爆发时,任何无症状感染者都能够拿着疫苗接种卡进餐厅,四处传播病毒。”
有些餐厅老板认为在门口要求出示疫苗接种卡,可以让顾客安心。
Restaurant Group的首席执行官杰里米·弗拉迪斯称:“上西区的顾客想确信他们是安全的。我尊重他们的想法,但我认为这种想法不够成熟。”该餐饮集团旗下包括Good Enough to Eat餐厅。
NoHo Restaurant Group的主厨及合伙人安德鲁·卡尔梅利尼认为,取消疫苗强制规定对于整个城市继续前进“在心理上非常重要”,但他的大多数顾客都愿意遵守疫苗规定。该集团旗下包括Lafayette和Locanda Verde等餐厅。他表示:“他们很高兴在室内用餐,因为他们感觉更安全。
由摩根大通(JPMorgan Chase & Co.)和高盛集团(Goldman Sachs Group)等当地大公司组成的商业组织纽约市合作组织(Partnership for New York City)的总裁凯西·怀尔德质疑,纽约已经执行几年的这种大范围的强制规定,一旦取消之后能否重复执行。
怀尔德指出:“我认为政府的强制规定应该取消,我们现在所说的是雇主、企业主、机构、学校等自己的决定。”
但怀尔德认为,纽约人的生活在某些方面可能已经被永远改变。她记得在2001年9月11日发生恐怖袭击之前,人们进入办公大楼时根本不需要出示身份证。但这样的日子早已一去不复返。
怀尔德称:“这些经历带来了根本性的变化。但这些变化将成为文化规范,而不是政府的强制规定。”
未来的疫情
健康专家和批准取消疫苗强制规定的议员都警告,病例暂时减少并不意味着纽约市将彻底结束疫情,并呼吁亚当斯政府继续投入资源进行疫情防控。
2020年4月至2021年12月期间曾经为纽约市的前市长白思豪(Bill de Blasio)担任顾问的流行病学家杰伊·瓦尔玛表示:“我担心的是,我们依旧必须随时做好准备,迎接可能再次爆发的新冠疫情。我们从疫情中得到的教训是,我们对病毒将如何变异的预测都是错误的。”
亚当斯政府决定至少继续执行雇主疫苗强制规定,对此瓦尔玛表示赞同,雇主的疫苗规定能够帮助维持较高的成年人疫苗接种率,避免住院人数增加。他指出,随着病例数减少,政府取消餐厅的疫苗要求是可以理解的。
他说:“我们无法保证餐厅或剧院100%安全。真正的问题在于这项政策是否值得权衡?”
但瓦尔玛警告,情况可能很快发生变化,并且目前尚不确定纽约市能否做好准备。
同样,纽约市主计长布拉德·兰德和公共议政员朱玛恩·威廉姆斯在上周发布了一封联名信,要求市长和卫生局的局长戴夫·乔克西明确纽约市政府未来应对新型病毒变异株的计划。
他们表示:“我们不能因为恐慌而让生活陷入瘫痪,但毫无准备则是愚蠢和危险的做法。”(财富中文网)
——艾丽西亚·迪亚兹对本文亦有贡献。
翻译:刘进龙
审校:汪皓
3月7日,纽约市的市民终于可以收起疫苗接种卡和口罩,但这并不意味着他们能够万事大吉。
纽约市的市长埃里克·亚当斯于3月4日在时代广场(Times Square)宣布,3月7日起,距离新冠疫情爆发大约两年之后,纽约市将不再要求市民在室内用餐或听音乐会时出具疫苗接种证明。
从3月7日开始,5岁及5岁以上的儿童在学校不需要配戴口罩。亚当斯从中看到了经济复兴的迹象。他说:“显然这就像阿诺德·施瓦辛格所说的那样:我们会回来的。”
但亚当斯目前仍然不打算撤销对全市公共和私营部门员工必须完成疫苗接种的强制要求。这意味着餐厅员工必须接种新冠疫苗,不过对顾客没有强制要求。5岁以上的儿童可以不配戴口罩,但年龄更小的幼儿不符合疫苗接种条件,必须配戴口罩。没有接种疫苗的篮球明星凯里·欧文依旧不能在布鲁克林篮网队(Brooklyn Nets)的主场巴克莱中心(Barclays Center)上场比赛,但未接种疫苗的球迷能够在球馆观看比赛。
健康专家表示,新冠疫情发展到现在,政府官员必须尽可能科学地制定公共健康政策。新冠感染率急剧下降,7天阳性率下降至1.8%。此外,纽约市近87%的成年人已经接种了两剂疫苗。
纽约大学格罗斯曼医学院(NYU Grossman School of Medicine)的人口健康学助理教授安娜·贝尔施泰因表示:“防疫工作取得了惊人的进展,自然带来了一些回报,例如不需要坚持查看市民的疫苗接种证明。我们很幸运目前处在疫情的平静期。总体而言,现在可以松一口气,恢复正常活动。”
贝尔施泰因指出,亚当斯宣布取消对室内活动的强制疫苗要求,是一项合理的举措,避免了每次去餐厅或健身房都要掏出疫苗接种卡的麻烦。她认为这项强制要求给人们带来了很多不便,相比之下雇主的强制疫苗规定对市民的影响较小,人们只需要在工作中一次证明其疫苗接种状态即可。
但她警告纽约市的市民,这并不意味着疫情时代的结束。她说:“我们完全有可能迎来新一波疫情,为了保证安全我们可能不得不再次容忍这些不便。我们要接受一件事情,那就是疫情反反复复,就像是在冷天穿的外套一样。”
为此,纽约市卫生局的局长戴夫·乔克希宣布推出一款使用颜色编码的新冠风险警报系统,“一旦感染者激增或病毒传播力增强,该系统能够为纽约市的市民提供指引,减缓目前或未来面临的风险。”他表示:“虽然这波疫情正在减弱,但我们不能认为新冠疫情即将结束。我们还有很多事要做。”
如果感染者病例再次激增怎么办?亚当斯称:“只要有任何理由需要修改政策,我们就将毫不犹豫做出调整或改变。”
商界的反应
纽约取消疫情限制的目的之一是帮助吸引更多游客。在此之前,波士顿、华盛顿特区和费城也都采取了类似措施。亚当斯说:“这是我们选择在时代广场宣布这一决定的原因。我们希望吸引加拿大、阿肯色州,甚至新西兰的游客来纽约。当然不只是来纽约随便走走,我们希望人们可以到这里来消费。”
纽约市的一些餐厅对政府取消疫苗强制规定的决定表示欢迎。它们发现,查看顾客的疫苗接种证明是一项单调乏味的工作,不仅代价高昂,有时候还可能存在危险,因为员工需要询问顾客,甚至可能要面对未接种疫苗的顾客。
位于下东区的餐厅Fat Choy的主厨及老板贾斯汀·李表示:“这项工作感觉是在浪费时间。到现在继续查看疫苗接种卡像是一种官僚主义。”他说:“这会降低服务效率,因为在门口查看疫苗接种证明的人数是有限的。在奥密克戎疫情爆发时,任何无症状感染者都能够拿着疫苗接种卡进餐厅,四处传播病毒。”
有些餐厅老板认为在门口要求出示疫苗接种卡,可以让顾客安心。
Restaurant Group的首席执行官杰里米·弗拉迪斯称:“上西区的顾客想确信他们是安全的。我尊重他们的想法,但我认为这种想法不够成熟。”该餐饮集团旗下包括Good Enough to Eat餐厅。
NoHo Restaurant Group的主厨及合伙人安德鲁·卡尔梅利尼认为,取消疫苗强制规定对于整个城市继续前进“在心理上非常重要”,但他的大多数顾客都愿意遵守疫苗规定。该集团旗下包括Lafayette和Locanda Verde等餐厅。他表示:“他们很高兴在室内用餐,因为他们感觉更安全。
由摩根大通(JPMorgan Chase & Co.)和高盛集团(Goldman Sachs Group)等当地大公司组成的商业组织纽约市合作组织(Partnership for New York City)的总裁凯西·怀尔德质疑,纽约已经执行几年的这种大范围的强制规定,一旦取消之后能否重复执行。
怀尔德指出:“我认为政府的强制规定应该取消,我们现在所说的是雇主、企业主、机构、学校等自己的决定。”
但怀尔德认为,纽约人的生活在某些方面可能已经被永远改变。她记得在2001年9月11日发生恐怖袭击之前,人们进入办公大楼时根本不需要出示身份证。但这样的日子早已一去不复返。
怀尔德称:“这些经历带来了根本性的变化。但这些变化将成为文化规范,而不是政府的强制规定。”
未来的疫情
健康专家和批准取消疫苗强制规定的议员都警告,病例暂时减少并不意味着纽约市将彻底结束疫情,并呼吁亚当斯政府继续投入资源进行疫情防控。
2020年4月至2021年12月期间曾经为纽约市的前市长白思豪(Bill de Blasio)担任顾问的流行病学家杰伊·瓦尔玛表示:“我担心的是,我们依旧必须随时做好准备,迎接可能再次爆发的新冠疫情。我们从疫情中得到的教训是,我们对病毒将如何变异的预测都是错误的。”
亚当斯政府决定至少继续执行雇主疫苗强制规定,对此瓦尔玛表示赞同,雇主的疫苗规定能够帮助维持较高的成年人疫苗接种率,避免住院人数增加。他指出,随着病例数减少,政府取消餐厅的疫苗要求是可以理解的。
他说:“我们无法保证餐厅或剧院100%安全。真正的问题在于这项政策是否值得权衡?”
但瓦尔玛警告,情况可能很快发生变化,并且目前尚不确定纽约市能否做好准备。
同样,纽约市主计长布拉德·兰德和公共议政员朱玛恩·威廉姆斯在上周发布了一封联名信,要求市长和卫生局的局长戴夫·乔克西明确纽约市政府未来应对新型病毒变异株的计划。
他们表示:“我们不能因为恐慌而让生活陷入瘫痪,但毫无准备则是愚蠢和危险的做法。”(财富中文网)
——艾丽西亚·迪亚兹对本文亦有贡献。
翻译:刘进龙
审校:汪皓
New Yorkers will finally be able to tuck away their vaccine cards and masks on March 7—but that doesn’t mean they’re retired for good.
On March 7, almost two years to the day the pandemic began, New York City will no longer require proof of vaccines to eat inside or go to concerts, Mayor Eric Adams said during an announcement in Times Square on March 4.
Starting March 7, children 5 and older won’t need to cover their faces in school. For Adams, it’s a sign of economic revival. “This is clearly an Arnold Schwarzenegger moment: We’ll be back,” he said.
Still, Adams has no plan to revoke the citywide mandate requiring public and private sector employees to be fully vaccinated. That means restaurant employees must be inoculated against COVID-19, but their customers don’t have to be. Children over age 5 don’t have to wear masks, but younger ones who aren’t eligible for the vaccine do. And unvaccinated basketball star Kyrie Irving still won’t be able to play home games at the Barclays Center—even though unvaccinated Brooklyn Nets fans can watch them there.
Health experts say government officials have reached a point in the pandemic where they have to weigh public health policy as much as the science itself. COVID rates have dropped precipitously—the seven-day positivity rate is down to 1.8%—and nearly 87% of New York City adults have received two doses of the vaccine.
“There’s a reward for making this kind of incredible progress, and part of that is not having to constantly be checking people’s vaccine passes,” said Anna Bershteyn, assistant professor of population health at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. “We’re lucky to be in an in-between wave time right now. In general, now is the time to take a breath, get back to normal activities.”
Bershteyn said lifting the vaccine mandate for indoor activities is a reasonable step for Adams to take, and removes the inconvenience of digging out vaccine cards each time someone goes to a restaurant or the gym. It also creates more friction than the employer vaccine mandate, which requires minimal effort from city residents who would only have to prove their vaccination status at work once, she said.
But she warns New Yorkers that this isn’t necessarily the end of the pandemic era. “Its entirely possible we’ll get another wave and we’ll need to tolerate these inconveniences again to stay safe,” she said. “We just have to get used to the fact that these things are going to come on and off, just like a coat in cold weather.”
To that end, Health Commissioner Dave Chokshi announced the launch of a color-coded COVID risk alert system to “give New Yorkers a road map for how to mitigate their own risk today or in the future, in the event we see a surge or increase in transmission,” he said. “While this COVID-19 wave is ebbing, we can’t yet say the pandemic is ending. We still have more work to do.”
And if cases surge again? “We will pivot if we see a reason to change any policies,” Adams said. “We are going to be unafraid to make those adjustments and changes.”
Business reaction
New York’s lifting of restrictions follow similar moves by Boston, Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia, and are, in part, intended to help lure visitors to the city. “That’s why we’re here in Times Square,” Adams said. “To tell people from Canada, Arkansas, from New Zealand to come here. But don’t come here and just walk, spend some money.”
Some city restaurateurs are celebrating the end of the vaccine mandate. They found checking customers’ vaccine passes tedious, costly and sometimes dangerous, as staff were forced to question, and possibly confront unvaccinated customers.
“It feels like a waste of time, like bureaucracy to check vax cards at this point,” said Justin Lee, chef and owner of the Lower East Side restaurant Fat Choy. “It can slow down service, there’s only so many people at a door that can check vaccines,” he said. “When we think about Omicron, anyone who is asymptomatic can walk in with their card and still spread it everywhere.”
To other owners, asking for vaccination cards at the door put their customers at ease.
“My guests on Upper West Side want to know that they’re safe,” said Jeremy Wladis, CEO of the Restaurant Group including Good Enough to Eat. “I respect the thinking, but I think it’s premature.”
Andrew Carmellini, chef and partner of the NoHo Restaurant Group, whose restaurants include Lafayette and Locanda Verde, said dropping the mandate was “important psychologically” for the city to move forward but that most of his customers have embraced the vaccine requirements. “They’re happier to eat indoors because they feel safer,” he said.
Kathy Wylde, president of the Partnership for New York City, a business group comprised of the city’s largest companies, including JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Goldman Sachs Group, doubted whether the kind of broad mandates New Yorkers have lived under for years would ever return once they’re undone.
“I think that the time for government mandates is over, and we’re now talking about decisions that individual employers, business owners, institutions, schools and others—these are decisions that institutions and individuals can make on their own,” Wylde said.
But, Wylde said, some parts of life in New York might have changed forever. She remembered a time before the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks when no one had to show a government ID to enter an office building. That time is long gone.
“There are fundamental changes as a result of these experiences,” Wylde said. “But it’s going to become a cultural norm rather than a government mandate.”
Future outbreaks
Even health experts and lawmakers who approved of lifting the mandates warned a lull in cases doesn’t give a free pass for the city to move on from COVID altogether, and urged the Adams administration to continue putting resources into fighting COVID.
“My concern is that we have to continuously remain prepared for a resurgence of COVID-19,” said Jay Varma, an epidemiologist who advised former Mayor Bill de Blasio from April 2020 to December 2021. “Everything we’ve learned is that any predictions we’ve made about how it’s going to mutate are wrong.”
Varma approved of the Adams administration’s decision to at least keep the employer vaccine mandates in place, which helps ensure high rates of adult vaccination and prevents hospitalizations. He said he understands why the city dropped the vaccine requirements at restaurants as cases have subsided.
“We can’t make restaurants or theaters 100% safe,” Varma said. “The real question becomes, is this policy worth the trade-offs?”
But, Varma cautioned, things can change very quickly, and said it’s not clear whether New York City will be ready.
Likewise, New York City Comptroller Brad Lander and Public Advocate Jumaane Williams issued a joint letter last week asking the mayor and health commissioner Dave Chokshi to make clear the city’s plans for what to do if another variant of the virus should emerge in the future.
“While we cannot live our lives paralyzed by fear, it would be foolish and dangerous not to be prepared,” they said.
—With assistance from Alicia Diaz.