De Blasio says ‘No more shutdowns’ as NYC faces virus spike

De Blasio says ‘No more shutdowns’ as NYC faces virus spike

People wait on line to get tested for COVID-19 on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2021, in New York. (AP Photo/Brittainy Newman)

NEW YORK (AP) — New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said he’s committed to keeping the city open as it grapples with yet another spike in coronavirus cases. The Democratic mayor said Tuesday that New York can’t see schools and businesses closed again like the city did in 2020 when COVID-19 first spread widely. De Blasio has faced questions over the past week about whether he would call for closures as a wave of new cases fueled by the omicron variant has broken over the city. Also on Tuesday, De Blasio’s successor Eric Adams postponed his inauguration ceremony, which was scheduled for Jan. 1 indoors at Brooklyn’s Kings Theatre. 

Photo: People wait on line to get tested for COVID-19 on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2021, in New York. (AP Photo/Brittainy Newman)