NYC Mayor Adams Encourages People to Mask Up Before Going Out Partying Maskless

Mayor Eric Adams urged New Yorkers on Tuesday to dust off their masks for the holiday season and “spread love without spreading the virus” as officials warn of a winter “tripledemic” of Covid, flu, and respiratory syncytial virus. 

Just hours later, he was photographed socializing maskless at the New York Post’s Christmas party.

Pictures of Adams maskless at the event made the rounds on social media, prompting Twitter users to call out his hypocrisy.

“Daytime [Adams] wants you to mask up,” one user wrote. “Nighttime [Adams] wants to party all night, maskless … Don’t listen to Daytime [Adams] … Do what works for you.”

“lol you first,” another quipped.

“Sometimes we forget the role everyday New Yorkers played in dealing with Covid,” Adams said through his mask during the press conference.

“You know New Yorkers don’t like people telling them what to do, but we were able to say to them ‘we need you to wear your mask, we need you to get vaccinated, we need for you to social distance,’ and they complied.”

“With the holiday season in full swing and cases of COVID-19, flu and RSV rising,” he continued, “we are asking New Yorkers to protect themselves and their loved ones once again. Mask up, get tested, get treated if you’re eligible, and, if you haven’t gotten your flu shot or your COVID-19 booster, we encourage you to roll up your sleeve.”

Health Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan further explained that New York City was experiencing “unusually high” rates of Covid, flu, and RSV, suggesting it was likely the result of colder weather and increased social gathering.

He, too, urged people to take greater precautions than usual.

Over the past few months, New York City has dropped all its mask mandates except for hospitals, where face coverings are still required.