For the primary time in two years, college students in New York Metropolis had been allowed to attend public college with out masks on Monday, however a few of them stated they might maintain them on.

At elementary faculties and excessive faculties, college students and oldsters alike expressed concern that it was too quickly, regardless of the declarations by Mayor Eric Adams that the town has overwhelmed again the Omicron variant of the virus.

“We did our jobs as New Yorkers, and now we’re successful,” Mr. Adams stated in a tv interview on Monday on NY1. “Covid is now not in command of our lives. We’re in command of our lives.”

However solely 52 p.c of Ok-12 public college college students citywide are totally vaccinated, in response to metropolis information, and 59 p.c of scholars have acquired no less than one dose. The town’s rely additionally reveals that the doses haven’t been distributed equally.

At Stuyvesant Excessive Faculty in Decrease Manhattan, the place 93 p.c of scholars are vaccinated, one of many highest charges within the metropolis, greater than half a dozen college students stated earlier than the varsity day began that they might maintain their face coverings in place. A number of stated they deliberate to put on masks indefinitely.

“There actually isn’t any treatment for Covid at this level,” Ella Chan, 17, a junior at Stuyvesant, stated earlier than the 8 a.m. bell. “There’s simply an excessive amount of uncertainty for me.”

Eden Di Lella, 15, a sophomore, stated: “I’ve additionally simply been asking round, simply being interested by who’s actually maintaining the masks on, and it simply has been an awesome variety of yeses, in comparison with taking it off.” She famous, although, that others had talked about exceptions for refrain or health club class.

Max Shimbo, 14, was one of many few not carrying a masks. “I belief the folks within the mayor’s workplace,” he stated of how he made his resolution. “They know what number of circumstances we’re getting and the way many individuals are vaccinated, so I belief they made the suitable selection.”

On Staten Island, Richard Kreie, 5, a kindergartner, was so relieved in regards to the finish of the masks mandate that on Friday after college he stomped on his and threw it away. On Monday morning earlier than heading into college at P.S. 1 within the Tottenville neighborhood, the place 10 p.c of the scholars are vaccinated, he pulled down his decrease lip to point out why. One among his backside enamel simply had dropped out, and he couldn’t wait to mug with the brand new hole in his smile. “I find it irresistible,” he stated. “It’s enjoyable.”

His mom, Danielle Imparato, stated she was glad in regards to the finish of the mandate. “It was good at first,” she stated. “However it’s long gone time now.”

Emma Billera, 7, a second grader at P.S. 1, stated taking her masks off made her really feel “glad, so you possibly can breathe.”

Her mom, Gabby Billera, stated she was weary of the masks mandate. “We’ve been following the foundations, however no one knew it will be this lengthy,” she stated.

However some older college students stated they fearful that the mandate had been lifted too early.

“I feel that it’s dumb, as a result of Covid remains to be round, and simply two months in the past the circumstances flared up out of nowhere,” stated Alana Rivers, a 15-year-old freshman at Boys and Women Excessive Faculty within the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, the place 46 p.c of the scholars are vaccinated. “So I feel that should you take off the masks, it’s going to make issues worse.”

She stated she nonetheless deliberate to put on a masks. “I really feel nervous as a result of lots of people are going to be uncovered to Covid exterior of faculty and now in class,” she stated.

Adeel Hassan contributed reporting.