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U.S. NEWS Tuesday 12 april 2022
Philadelphia to restore indoor mask mandate as cases rise

By MICHAEL RUBINKAM Bettigole said masking will
Associated Press help restaurants and other
Philadelphia became the businesses stay open, while
first major U.S. city to rein- a huge new wave of CO-
state its indoor mask man- VID-19 would keep custom-
date on Monday after re- ers at home.
porting a sharp increase in In New York City, Mayor
coronavirus infections, with Eric Adams has paused his
the city's top health official push to unwind many of
saying she wanted to fore- the city's virus rules as cases
stall a potential new wave have risen, opting for now
driven by an omicron sub- to keep a mask mandate
variant. for 2 to 4-year-olds in city
Confirmed COVID-19 cas- schools and preschools. But
es have risen more than Adams, a Democrat who
50% in 10 days, the thresh- has said New Yorkers should
old at which the city's not let the pandemic run
guidelines call for people their lives, has already lifted
to wear masks indoors, most other mask mandates
said Dr. Cheryl Bettigole, and rules requiring proof of
the health commissioner. vaccination to dine in res-
Health officials believe A sign requiring masks as a precaution against the spread of the coronavirus on a store front in taurants, work out at gyms
the recent spike is being Philadelphia, is seen Feb. 16, 2022. or attend shows.
driven by the highly trans- Associated Press Adams was asked at a vir-
missible BA.2 subvariant of tual news conference Mon-
omicron, which has spread new variant." again." date at city businesses day afternoon if he was
rapidly throughout Europe Most states and cities "I sincerely wish we didn't starting April 18. considering reimposing the
and Asia, and has become dropped their masking re- have to do this again. But I The restaurant industry New York City mask man-
dominant in the U.S. in re- quirements in February and am very worried about our pushed back against re- date in light of Philadel-
cent weeks. early March following new vulnerable neighbors and imposed masking, saying phia's decision. The mayor
"If we fail to act now, guidelines from the U.S. loved ones," she said. workers will bear the brunt said he would listen to his
knowing that every previ- Centers for Disease Control The city is reporting more of customer anger over the team of medical doctors
ous wave of infections has and Prevention that put less than 140 cases per day — new rules. for their advice on whether
been followed by a wave focus on case counts and a fraction of what it saw at "This announcement is a to bring back any restric-
of hospitalizations, and more on hospital capacity. the height of the omicron major blow to thousands of tions. Adams himself tested
then a wave of deaths, it The CDC said at that time surge — and hospitaliza- small businesses and other positive for COVID-19 on
will be too late for many that most Americans could tions remain low at only 46 operators in the city who Sunday.
of our residents," Bettigole safely take off their masks. patients. About 750 Phila- were hoping this spring New York City is now av-
said. "This is our chance to Philadelphia dropped its delphia residents died in would be the start of recov- eraging around 1,800 new
get ahead of the pandem- mask mandate March 2, the wintertime omicron ery," said Ben Fileccia, se- cases per day, about three
ic, to put our masks on until and Bettigole acknowl- surge, Bettigole said. nior director of operations times higher than in early
we have more information edged "it was wonderful to Health inspectors will start at the Pennsylvania Restau- March when New York be-
about the severity of this feel that sense of normalcy to enforce the mask man- rant & Lodging Association. gan easing rules. q

Fearless Girl statue will stay put opposite NYSE for now

By KAREN MATTHEWS gation between artist Kris- attraction.
Associated Press ten Visbal and State Street Fearless Girl was moved to
NEW YORK (AP) — The 4-foot Global Advisors, the Boston- its current location oppo-
bronze Fearless Girl statue based asset-management site the Stock Exchange in
that was deposited in front firm that commissioned it. December 2018 and has
of New York City's Charging "We today, the Public De- continued to draw selfie-
Bull in 2017 will remain in its sign Commission, cannot taking visitors there.
current spot opposite the make this a permanent Visbal, meanwhile, began
New York Stock Exchange piece of art," commission selling replicas of the statue
at least until early next year president Signe Nielsen around the world. State
while city officials wrestle said. "We can urge that Street, which had an own-
with a permanent disposi- steps be taken to enable ership contract with the
tion for the popular symbol this work to be considered artist, sued Visbal alleging
of female empowerment, for the public collection." the replica sales violated
a city board decided Mon- The statue of a spunky the agreement, and Visbal In this June 16, 2021, photo, the "Fearless Girl" statue faces the
day. young girl was supposed countersued, arguing that New York Stock Exchange.
Members of the Public De- to be a temporary instal- the company was infring- Associated Press
sign Commission granted lation when State Street ing on her rights.
an 11-month permit exten- commissioned it in 2017 to "The commission should Zoom. work," she said.
sion and said they would urge higher representa- be aware that State Street She urged the city to take Both Visbal and State Street
spend the next six months tion of women on corpo- has sued me, which makes ownership of the piece it- indicated support for the
exploring a way for New rate boards, but permits to it impossible for them to self. "I am convinced the board's vote to renew the
York City to take owner- keep it on display were ex- act as fair agents on my only way artists' rights can statue's temporary permit
ship of the statue, which is tended several times once behalf," Visbal told design be honored and acknowl- while working toward a
currently the subject of liti- it became a major tourist commission members over edged is if the city owns the permanent solution.q