Adams Ends Pandemic Mandates in New York City Amid Concern He Is Rushing

Mayor Eric Adams opened a new chapter of the pandemic in New York City on Friday, ending requirements that masks be worn in public schools and that proof of vaccination be presented by those dining indoors, using gyms and going to entertainment venues.

The mayor announced the moves in Times Square, a symbol of vibrancy at a significant moment for a city that was once an epicenter of the pandemic and where nearly 40,000 people have died.

Mr. Adams framed the decision to drop the mandates as part of his broader effort to reopen the city, whose economy has been battered by the coronavirus, and to restore a sense of normalcy after a steep drop in Covid-19 cases.

New York, Mr. Adams declared, had beaten back the Omicron variant of the virus, largely by ensuring that millions of people were vaccinated, and New Yorkers and tourists could enjoy the city again.