- The Washington Times - Wednesday, January 5, 2022

New York City Mayor Eric Adams said Wednesday his city can weather the winter coronavirus surge and keep its schools and businesses open despite fears over the omicron variant.

“We’re going to survive this,” Mr. Adams told “CBS Mornings.”

“That negative energy in our country is really destroying our children, it’s destroying each other,” he said. “We’re tired of being prisoners to COVID. So let’s be smart, let’s do the social distancing, let’s wear our masks, get vaccinated and take the booster shot.”

Daily cases in the city have surged from an average of 2,800 at the start of December to more than 36,000 per day, though average hospitalizations have dipped downward in recent days from 700 to around 600.

Mr. Adams highlighted a plan to put 1.5 million coronavirus tests in schools to make sure students aren’t infecting their classrooms.

“The safest place for a child is in school,” Mr. Adams said.

On the business front, the Democratic mayor said dishwashers and others cannot work remotely so they need restaurants and other sectors of the economy to remain open.

“We need to open the city so low-wage employees are able to survive,” he said.

For more information, visit The Washington Times COVID-19 resource page.

• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.

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