New York City Mayor Eric Adams isolating at Gracie Mansion as he battles COVID
UPPER EAST SIDE, Manhattan (WABC) -- New York Mayor Eric Adams is battling a case of COVID-19, working remotely from Gracie Mansion where he is isolating.
He said his symptoms are mild and that he will be back to attending events around town when he gets better.
"Outside of the raspy voice, I feel fine," he said. "I'm going to continue to try to be as visible as possible as we get through COVID and many of the other crisis we are facing."
He will resume public events, wearing a mask, five days after testing positive, following his doctor's directions.
Adams' press secretary says the mayor woke up with that raspy voice Sunday and took a PCR test that came back positive. He's now taking anti-viral medication.
The mayor marked his 100th day in office Sunday, then became the latest in a long list of attendees -- more than 70 people -- who have tested positive after attending the Gridiron Club dinner in Washington, DC, last week.
The mayor and New York Governor Kathy Hochul were both in Albany on Saturday attending a conference, and many say this is a warning to others.
"This is New York City's Fifth Wave," Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine said. "Incredible that we've been through five so far. Cases have tripled in the last month. Hospitalizations are ticking up although still very low. So it is still a time for caution. Not a time to shut down the city. Not a time for everyone to be barricaded in their apartment, but a time for caution."
Adams is vaccinated and boosted, something he recommended for everyone when Eyewitness News interviewed him on Friday morning.
Meantime, in another sign of caution as the number of cases ticks upward in the city, Columbia University is reinstating its mask policy for students in classrooms.
"Based on the current situation and in an abundance of caution, we will require wearing of non-cloth masks in classrooms beginning Monday morning April 11, 2022," officials said in a letter to staff and students. "This mandatory masking policy applies to classrooms only and is expected to remain in place for the few remaining weeks of our spring semester. As has been our policy all year, instructors have the option to remove their masks while teaching. Current policies on masking in all other settings continue unchanged.
"We remain in low-risk or green status based on Columbia's COVID-19 monitoring plan and so does New York City based on its designated risk levels. Over the past few weeks, there has been an uptick in the number of COVID-19 cases in New York City and not surprisingly in the percent positivity in our own surveillance testing program. Reassuringly, this has not been associated as of yet with a commensurate increase in hospitalizations in New York City, an important and more reliable metric of the status of the pandemic.
"Continued caution in certain situations remains extremely important, particularly in indoor social settings when the vaccination status of attendees is unknown or uncertain. Being up-to-date in terms of COVID-19 vaccination status - i.e., to get all doses of the vaccines (primary and booster doses) as recommended by the CDC - is critically important. Lastly, the availability of effective COVID-19 treatments for those with COVID-19 and at risk of complications should also be noted."
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The Associated Press contributed to this report
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