Students were allowed to take off their masks and show their smiles again after the outdoor mask mandate for New York City public schools was removed. 

Many are wondering when will masks be optional inside school buildings following the guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday. The CDC dropped its mask recommendation for people who do not have pre-existing conditions and who live in areas with low or medium COVID-19 rates.  

Thanks to a 98% drop in statewide cases since the peak of Omicron in January, New York City falls under the low level category. 

Over the weekend Gov. Kathy Hochul announced she will lift the statewide indoor mask mandate for schools on Wednesday. Local leaders will be allowed to decide if they will follow suit. 

Mayor Eric Adams said he will drop the mandate for public schools on Monday, March 7 if rates remain low. A final decision will be made on Friday. 

Parents who spoke to News 12 have mixed feelings on this. 

“I have a son that’s sick and I just feel like, you know, we can’t account for everybody’s germs,” says one parent. “I just feel like it’s a respect thing just having your mask on.” 

Another parent is not sure how they feel. 

“When we converse and what not, we still take our masks off and talk,” says. “I don’t know how I feel about it.”