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New Yorkers and anyone who plans on taking a ride on an MTA subway or bus will face a fine if they go against recommendations to wear a mask or face-covering while using the service amid the coronavirus pandemic.
NY Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that beginning next week maskless riders will be subject to a fine.
“You have to come up with an enforcement plan for people not wearing masks,” Cuomo said on a Thursday teleconference. “This is for the handful of people who are not compliant.”
The maskless riders can face a $50 fine for ignoring the recommendations that are in place to continue limiting the spread of COVID-19 throughout the state. New York City was once the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in the United States, but cases have steadily continued to decline.
MTA Chairman Pat Foye added: “It is reassuring to other passengers who play by the rules that mask-wearing is mandatory. It’s a matter of respect for co-commuters and employees.”
The MTA says 93 percent of riders are now wearing a mask, though 15 percent of the riders are wearing their masks inappropriately, according to the New York Post.
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The coronavirus mainly comes from animals and a majority of those who were infected early either worked at or frequently visited the Huanan seafood wholesale market in Wuhan, according to The Guardian. The virus is similar to Severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars) and Middle Eastern respiratory syndrome (Mers).
The Wuhan coronavirus is transmitted from person to person through “droplet transmission.” That means an infected person can pass the virus by sneezing or coughing on another person as well as by direct contact.
While a majority of the cases have been detected in the United States and China — with more than 6.38 million confirmed cases and 191,000 deaths in the United States — it has now reached many countries around the world. It has also been confirmed in Italy, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, and many other eastern countries.
