In September 2022, New York Governor Kathy Hochul made a significant shift in the state’s COVID-19 policy by lifting mask requirements on public transit, correctional facilities, detention centers, and homeless shelters. This decision marked the end of one of the last major pandemic-era restrictions in New York, reflecting a broader trend of easing measures across the country. However, the move sparked a range of reactions, from relief among those eager for normalcy to concern among public health advocates who feared it undermined ongoing efforts to control the virus. Let’s revisit this pivotal moment, the context behind it, and its implications as we reflect from April 2025.
The Context: New York in September 2022
By September 2022, New York had been through the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic, having been an early epicenter in 2020 with overwhelmed hospitals and a staggering death toll. Under Governor Andrew Cuomo, the state had implemented strict measures, including mask mandates, lockdowns, and vaccine requirements, which continued into Hochul’s tenure after she assumed office in August 2021. By mid-2022, however, the landscape had changed. The Omicron wave had peaked earlier in the year, and case numbers were on a downward trend, with Hochul noting a “phenomenal trend” in declining hospitalizations during a press conference on September 7, 2022.
The state had already rolled back many restrictions earlier in the year. In February 2022, Hochul lifted the indoor mask mandate for most settings, followed by schools in March, aligning with New York City’s decision to drop its school mandate. However, masks remained mandatory on public transit and in certain congregate settings like shelters and correctional facilities, making New York one of the last states to maintain such requirements after a federal judge struck down the CDC’s nationwide transit mask mandate in April 2022. This persistence frustrated some New Yorkers, who felt the rules were outdated, especially as other states and cities, like Washington D.C.’s Metro system, had already made masks optional.
Public sentiment was mixed. Many subway riders had already stopped wearing masks, as observed in a New York Times article from September 8, 2022, with passengers like Cecily Vlack admitting to forgoing masks even before the mandate was lifted. Others, however, continued to mask up, citing concerns about the virus, air quality, or vulnerable family members. Posts on X at the time reflected this divide, with some users praising the decision as a return to normalcy, while others, like
@BrooklynBCID
, criticized it as “flying in the face of science and plain common sense.”Hochul’s Announcement: Masks Become Optional
On September 7, 2022, Hochul announced that masks would no longer be required on New York City subways, buses, commuter rail lines, and other public transit systems, as well as in homeless shelters and correctional facilities. The decision, effective immediately, was based on declining COVID-19 cases, updated CDC guidance, and a desire to “restore some normalcy to our lives,” as Hochul stated during a press conference in Harlem. She emphasized that masks would remain mandatory in state-regulated healthcare facilities, such as hospitals and nursing homes, where the risk to vulnerable populations was higher.
Hochul framed the move as a pragmatic step, noting that if people weren’t wearing masks at work or school, it made sense to ease requirements on transit. She also highlighted the availability of new Omicron-specific boosters, receiving one herself during the press event to encourage vaccination. Yellow signs reading “Masks are encouraged but optional” were posted across transit systems, and the New York Taxi & Limousine Commission followed suit, loosening mask rules for cabs and ride-share vehicles like Uber and Lyft.
The announcement was part of a broader effort to lure New Yorkers and visitors back to the city, which had been hit hard by the economic fallout of the pandemic. Hochul’s administration hoped that easing restrictions would boost confidence in public spaces, particularly the subway, which had seen ridership plummet during the height of the crisis. However, the decision came with a caveat: Hochul urged New Yorkers to remain vigilant, get vaccinated, and consider masking in crowded settings, acknowledging that the virus was still a threat.
Reactions: Relief, Concern, and Criticism
The lifting of the mask mandate elicited a spectrum of responses. For many New Yorkers, it was a welcome relief, signaling a return to pre-pandemic life. Subway riders interviewed by Gothamist at Union Square station on September 7, 2022, expressed mixed feelings but noted that enforcement had already been lax, with many passengers ignoring the mandate long before it was lifted. Some, like those quoted in the New York Times, had already made “personal risk assessments,” choosing whether to mask based on their own comfort levels rather than state rules.
Public health advocates, however, were quick to criticize the decision. The Brooklyn Borough Center for Independence of the Disabled (
@BrooklynBCID
on X) issued a statement on September 7, 2022, arguing that Hochul’s move ignored scientific evidence and endangered vulnerable populations. Others, like @TRyanGregory
on X, suggested a more balanced approach, proposing that Hochul could have encouraged optional masking while recommending high-quality masks like N95s for those who chose to wear them. Disability advocates, in particular, worried about the impact on immunocompromised individuals, a concern that would resurface in 2024 when Hochul proposed a mask ban on subways to address crime, prompting backlash from those who relied on masks for health reasons.Critics also pointed to the timing of the decision, noting that it came just as schools were reopening and flu season was approaching. Some, like
@Delavegalaw
on X, linked the move to broader public health concerns, citing the reemergence of polio in New York in 2022 as evidence that easing restrictions was “utterly irresponsible.” They argued that Hochul’s decision undermined the importance of masking as a preventive measure, especially in crowded, poorly ventilated spaces like the subway.Conclusion: A Divisive but Defining Moment
Hochul’s decision to lift mask requirements in September 2022 was a defining moment in New York’s COVID-19 response, reflecting a desire to move forward while grappling with the virus’s lingering presence. For some, it was a necessary step toward normalcy, aligning with declining cases and public fatigue. For others, it was a premature and risky move that prioritized optics over science, leaving vulnerable New Yorkers at risk.
Looking back, the decision underscores the complexity of managing a public health crisis in a diverse, densely populated state. It also highlights the importance of clear communication and trust-building—areas where Hochul’s administration faced criticism, particularly around transparency issues like nursing home death data. As we navigate future challenges, from new variants to other public health threats, the lessons of 2022 remain relevant: balancing normalcy with vigilance requires not just policy shifts, but a commitment to equity, transparency, and empathy for all.
UPDATE: April 2025
Implications and Hindsight: Looking Back from 2025
From the vantage point of April 2025, Hochul’s decision to lift mask requirements in September 2022 can be seen as a turning point in New York’s pandemic response, but one that carried both benefits and risks. On the positive side, the move aligned with a broader societal shift toward normalcy, helping to restore confidence in public spaces. Ridership on the subway gradually increased in the years following, though a 2025 New York Times report noted that the city still faced challenges, including a decline in school-age children and births since the pandemic, reflecting the long-term economic and social impacts of the crisis.
However, the decision also highlighted the challenges of balancing public health with public sentiment. While case numbers were declining in September 2022, the virus remained a threat, as evidenced by later waves and the emergence of new variants. Hochul herself acknowledged this in 2024, warning of a COVID uptick and urging New Yorkers to mask up in crowded spaces, a stark contrast to her 2022 decision to make masks optional. The rise of long COVID, affecting 11% of American adults by mid-2023 according to the CDC, further underscored the ongoing risks, particularly for vulnerable populations who felt abandoned by the easing of mandates.
Hochul’s later policies also complicated the narrative. In 2024, she proposed a mask ban on subways to address crime and antisemitic incidents, a move that drew criticism from disability advocates who argued it endangered those who needed masks for health reasons. This proposal, still under debate as of April 2025, reflects the ongoing tension between public safety and public health—a tension that was already evident in 2022 when she lifted the mask mandate.
