New York City suddenly removed its color-coded coronavirus alert system on Thursday, just as newer Omicron subvariants are fueling another surge in cases and hospitalizations.
Mayor Eric Adams and health officials quietly took down the city’s high-profile warning system that warned New Yorkers when they were at greater risk of contracting the virus and should consider taking more precautions.
Now the city’s website reads: “We are re-evaluating the city’s Covid Alert system. Check back here for updates in the coming weeks.”
The number of hospitalizations in the city has also risen, from 725 people hospitalized with the virus in early June to 877 people now, according to state data.
The rapidly spreading Omicron subvariants, known as BA.4 and BA.5, accounted for about 46 percent of virus cases in the city as of June 18, and those numbers are rising, according to city data.
BA.4 and BA.5 can evade some of the antibodies produced after coronavirus vaccinations and infections, including infections caused by some previous versions of Omicron. But there isn’t much evidence yet that they cause more serious illness.
The city’s health commissioner, Dr. Ashwin Vasan, Thursday, defended his decision to remove the warning system, saying the city was “re-evaluating” its approach, though he didn’t provide details on what the city could do instead.
“While we are still seeing a lot of transmission here in New York, we are also in another phase of the pandemic that requires new analytical tools to align our assessments and communication about risks with reality,” said Dr. Vasan on a news story. conference in Manhattan to announce new mobile test units that will provide antiviral treatments.
Fabien Levy, a spokesman for the mayor, said in a statement Friday that the city always intended to periodically re-evaluate the warning system as conditions changed and that Dr. Vasan proactively mentioned the change at the press conference.
“What we’ve seen recently is jumping back and forth between alarm levels, which doesn’t provide clear or useful information to New Yorkers,” said Mr. levy. “All Covid-19 indicators are still being updated on the Ministry of Health website and we will continue to communicate our recommendations clearly.”
Even if virus infections are believed to be undervalued nationally, BA.4 and BA.5 have collectively become dominant among new US cases, according to new estimates released this week by the CDC. BA.4 accounted for 15.7 percent of new cases, and BA. 0.5 was 36.6 percent, numbers experts said are likely to rise in the coming weeks.
Federal regulators recently recommended that coronavirus vaccine manufacturers update their boosters to target BA.4 and BA.5, despite uncertainty about what form of the virus may be circulating later this year.
New York City’s “Alert Levels” website said Friday that the city was dealing with high levels of transmission and that residents should continue to wear masks in indoor public settings and around outdoor crowds and test before and after travel or gatherings.
Private businesses and schools rely on the city’s alert system to make decisions about mandating masks in offices and classrooms. Without guidance from the city about the growing level of risk, organizations will have to monitor the data to make their own decisions.
In the color-coded warning system introduced in March by Mr. Adams, certain health policies were recommended at each level of risk. At the high risk level, the mayor was encouraged to require face masks in all indoor public settings and to bring back a vaccine mandate for restaurants and bars that was in effect under the last mayor, Bill de Blasio.
When the city hit high risk levels in May, Mr. Adams chose not to reintroduce mask and vaccine mandates. Mr. Adams, a Democrat who took office in January, has focused on reopening the city and convincing workers to return to Manhattan, arguing that only a significant increase in hospitalizations would lead to more aggressive action. .
Starting Friday, Broadway theaters will be allowed to drop their mask mandates, and Mr. Adams recently removed a toddler mask mandate.
dr. Jay Varma, an epidemiologist and former senior health advisor to Mr. de Blasio, said Friday he believed a BA.5-driven wave was underway in the city and that health officials should give New Yorkers clearer guidelines on how to change their behavior during regular news briefings.
“I am concerned that the removal of the warning system is a sign that the city would rather wait until there is a marked increase in serious illness and death before considering further actions,” said Dr. Varma.
Mr. Adams attended this week’s press conference about mobile testing sites offering Paxlovid, and he visited a vaccine site for children under 5 last week when they started getting injections. But the mayor has not held regular press conferences to update New Yorkers about the virus, as Mr. de Blasio did.
Some other cities still seem to rely on color-coded warning systems to describe Covid levels. Chicago, for example, entered the “high” — or orange — level last month on rising coronavirus cases and hospitalizations in Cook County. Los Angeles County is currently at the intermediate — or yellow — level, reflecting a lower rate of new Covid hospitalizations than Cook County or New York City.
The color-coded systems are based on parameters set by the CDC and include data on both new cases and hospitalizations. In Los Angeles, officials have indicated that indoor masking will be required if the county enters the “high” level.
Joseph Goldstein reporting contributed.