NYC announces new measures as cases spike: ‘We’ve never seen this before’

Top New York City officials on Thursday announced new measures for fighting back against COVID-19 as positivity rates spike and fears grow surrounding the omicron variant.

Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) during a news conference shared a six-pronged approach to combatting the rise. The new measures include the distribution of 1 million medical-grade KN95 masks and 500,000 rapid at-home tests to communities throughout the city, among others.

De Blasio said city representatives will increase on-site inspections of area businesses to ensure compliance with vaccine and mask mandates.

Additionally, New York will open five new testing sites and increase the number of mobile testing options, NY1.com reported.

Pushing for booster shots is a priority as the shots remain the best way to protect yourself against the virus, said Dave Chokshi, city health commissioner.

“The facts are very clear,” Chokshi said, according to NY1. “Each new variant makes it more important to get vaccinated rather than less important.”

New York is facing a surge in cases ahead of the holidays, fueled by omicron.

Jay Varma, a top public health advisor to de Blasio, tweeted Thursday that the current spike in positive tests is unprecedented.

“Um, we’ve never seen this before in #NYC,” Varma wrote. “Test positivity doubling in three days.”

Recent studies suggest that the omicron variant, which originated in South Africa, infects the human body 70 times faster than previous coronavirus strains. To date, the sickness associated with the variant has been reported to be less severe than previous ones.