NYC drops mask mandate for children under 5

Pfizer vaccine for children under 5

The FDA announced that three doses of the Pfizer vaccine appear to be safe and effective for children under 5.

NEW YORK - Masks will be optional for toddlers in New York City childcare settings beginning June 13, announced Mayor Eric Adams.

"Throughout the current wave, schools have remained the safest places for our children and beginning Monday, June 13, we will make masks optional for 2-4-year-old children in all early childhood settings," said Adams.

The mayor pointed to the steadily falling COVID-19 case count for dropping the mandate.

"We still strongly recommend that New Yorkers of all ages continue to wear masks indoors and we will continue to make masks available for any child or school staff member who wishes to continue wearing them," added Adams.

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NYC dropping toddler mask mandate

Starting June 13, children 2-4 years old in New York City will not be required to wear masks in childcare settings.

In April, the city had instituted the mask mandate for children under 5 when NYC was averaging just under 1,300 new cases of COVID-19 per day due to the omicron subvariant BA.2.

"I’m with New York City parents and New Yorkers can trust this administration to continue to make the proper public health decisions to keep our kids safe."

Toddlers were the final group of New Yorkers still required to wear masks in an effort to keep the coronavirus from spreading.