A mask mandate was recently reinstated for New York City’s public hospitals due to an increase in flu/COVID/RSV infections.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently warned that respiratory illnesses are on the rise across the country. Just before Christmas, national COVID-19 hospitalizations jumped 17% in one week.

“I think that’s a major reason why we’re seeing this rise in not only cases, but also hospitalizations. Because we’ve just had Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s, so a lot of people are gathering from all over the country,” Roy told NY1.

Some places have been encouraging but not mandating indoor masks due to the usual uptick in winter for COVID and flu