BREAKING: NYC urges residents to MASK again to prevent spread of RSV, flu and Covid
- New Yorkers are urged to dress up to prevent spread of RSV and flu
New York City officials are again advising residents to dress up to prevent the spread of respiratory illnesses like Covid – but also the flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
dr NYC Health Commissioner Ashwin Vasan issued an advisory today urging the use of face coverings in indoor public spaces. It is not mandated and is not enforced by city officials – but some private companies may choose to follow it.
A media release cites the rise in Covid, RSV and the flu hitting the city. The Big Apple is currently recording 3,761 daily Covid infections, a 55 percent increase over the past two weeks. The city confirmed more than 11,000 cases of the flu in the last week of November.
The move follows recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to mask up to prevent non-Covid respiratory viruses earlier this week.
America has been hit with massive flu and RSV flare-ups this season. It has been described as the worst flu season since the 2009 swine flu pandemic. More than 80 percent of US hospital beds are currently occupied as a result of the surge — a number higher than at any point during the pandemic.
‘Today [Dr Vasan] has issued an advisory as NYC faces high levels of COVID-19, flu and RSV,” the agency wrote in a tweet.
“New Yorkers are urged to wear masks in indoor public spaces and crowded outdoor areas.”
The order piggybacked on the CDC’s recommendations earlier this week. dr Rochelle Walensky, director of the agency, said during a briefing Monday: “We also encourage you to wear a quality, well-fitting mask to help prevent the spread of respiratory disease.”
Nationwide, America recorded 35,704 confirmed cases of the flu in the week ended December 3.
That’s a slight decrease from the 35,993 recorded a week earlier — the first time weekly cases have fallen since the flu season began.
The agency also reports that 25 percent of flu tests are positive — matching the previous week’s total.
New York City is designated by the CDC as an area with “very high” influenza transmission and receives the strictest classification.
In its latest flu report, more than 11,000 cases were confirmed in the city in the week ended November 26.
The number of confirmed infections from the previous week has more than doubled.
This story is evolving and updated