No Mask Ban

March 26th, 2025

The Honorable Kathy Hochul

Governor of New York State

NYS State Capitol Building

Albany, NY 12224

Mayor Eric Adams

City Hall

New York, NY 10007

Assemblywoman Amy Paulin

Legislative Office Building 822

Albany, NY 12248

Senator Gustavo Rivera

172 State Street, Capitol Building

502C

Albany, NY 12247

Honorable Members of New York City Council

250 Broadway

New York, NY 10007

To Governor Hochul, Mayor Adams, Assemblywoman Paulin, Senator Rivera, and New York City Council members:

We write to you as physicians and other healthcare and public health workers, to voice our opposition to proposed mask bans. Banning masks, even with health exemptions, would deter use of a proven health promotion tool and exacerbate health inequity among our patients, health systems, and all New Yorkers.

Masks protect us from viruses, pollution, and allergens and should be promoted, not criminalized.

Community masking significantly decreases the spread of COVID, which has killed nearly 85,000 people in New York State and continues to spread. This is why the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the NYS and NYC health departments recommend the use of masks to prevent catching and spreading COVID. The CDC and NYC Department of Health & Mental Hygiene are appropriately advising people to “Wear a high-quality mask, such as a KN95, KF94 or N95 for the best protection from COVID-19.” 

Repeated COVID infection is associated with new onset diabetes and long-term lung, heart, blood, gastrointestinal, kidney, mental health, musculoskeletal and neurological disorders. A recent NASEM report concluded, “long COVID can affect children and adults, regardless of health, disability, or socioeconomic status, age, sex, gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, or geographic location,” and it “can follow asymptomatic, mild, or severe SARS-CoV-2 infection.” There is no cure for long COVID.

It is important to understand that, despite common misconceptions, studies show that COVID transmission can still happen outdoors and when people are pre or asymptomatic, which is an estimated 50% of cases. As use of testing, isolation, and remote options have diminished radically, the importance of masking as a remaining protection has increased.

Beyond COVID, masking protects against the spread of other airborne viruses, including RSV and influenza. Masks also protect us from allergens and from pollutants like the Canadian wildfire smoke that turned the sky red and spiked emergency room visits last summer. Air pollution has contributed to the deaths of an estimated 7,500 New Yorkers in 2024 and has cost around $17 billion. These numbers are only expected to rise with climbing global temperatures.

Disabled, chronically ill, and elderly New Yorkers need and have the right to access the world. 

Immunocompromised and disabled persons have higher risks of contracting COVID and other airborne illnesses, and higher risk of hospitalization and severe complications. Promoting widespread public masking protects these communities and increases access to indoor and outdoor spaces that are not as safe when less people mask. We also note that many people wear masks to protect high risk individuals that live in their household or at their workplace. Mask bans would restrict the routines of people who engage with immunocompromised people as well.

It is impossible to enforce a mask ban without bias and exemptions are insufficient.

It is reasonable for any person to protect themself and others by wearing a mask, regardless of their personal vulnerability to inhaled threats. Our patients and all New Yorkers should be permitted to protect themselves and their households from airborne health hazards at any time, not merely during rare periods of officially declared public health emergencies as some exemptions propose. Public health declarations take time to enact and are often more political than epidemiological. Public health data and communication lag behind spikes in infection.

Further, high-quality masks are neither free nor universally accessible in New York. Some New Yorkers may wear cloth masks or a scarf around their mouth and nose for protection against disease.

It is not the role of law enforcement to determine who has a legitimate medical reason to cover their face. Police officers are not trained to diagnose disabilities or COVID risk factors, or to select appropriate personal protective equipment. Any policy of limited health exceptions would invade privacy by requiring people to reveal personal medical information. 

Any mask ban will be discriminatorily enforced against historically over-policed groups, including Black and brown, Asian, Muslim, LGBTQ+, and unhoused New Yorkers, often those who are more vulnerable to COVID.

Our patients have the right to protest safely. 

We recognize that mask bans have been proposed in response to face covering use at protests. Our patients experience homelessness and criminalization, under and un-insurance, unsafe workplaces, inadequate access to healthy and affordable food, polluted neighborhoods and the ongoing threat of climate catastrophe. Healthcare providers can treat the illnesses that stem from these factors but healthcare cannot change the structures that lead to poor health outcomes. To adequately advocate for our patients, we must also speak up now to say they have a right to protest safely. The right to protest and participate in political activity are determinants of health.

Conclusion

Masks offer an opportunity for people to help reduce community transmission, more safely access public and shared spaces, and participate more fully in public life. Mask bans would endanger our patients, their households, and us all. As health professionals fighting for health equity for all, we emphatically oppose inherently discriminatory mask bans and urge you to oppose mask ban legislation.

Signed,

New York Doctors Coalition

New York State Academy of Family Physicians

New York State American Academy of Pediatrics

1. Abbey Glick PhD Candidate

2. Abdul-Rahim MB BCh

3. Adele Meyer RN

4. Ahana Chowdhury MPH

5. Aimalohi Gray MD

6. Alan Smith MD

7. Alanna Cote PhD

8. Alec Pruchnicki MD

9. Aleta Murphy PhD

10. Alexa Manko LMSW

11. Alexandra Habibi MD Candidate

12. Alexandra R. Greenberg MD, MSPH

13. Alina Neganova RN

14. Alyssa Piperis, Former Case Manager and Outreach Specialist, NoHo Home Alliance

15. Amanda Ackermann PhD

16. Amber Sousa PhD

17. Amit Pujari MD Candidate

18. Amy Engebretson MD

19. Ana Djordjevic  MPH

20. Anastasia Fotis MD Candidate

21. Andrea Lyman MD, MSc, MS

22. Andreas Cohrssen MD

23. Andrew Alpart MDCM, MPP

24. Andrew Zhu MD

25. Angie Buttigieg MD

26. Anita Amin MD

27. Anna Heffron MD, PhD

28. Anna Martens MD Candidate

29. Annette Georgia MD

30. Annie Liu MD/PhD Candidate

31. Anuva Goel MD Candidate

32. Anya Wang MD Candidate

33. Ashanay Allen MD Candidate

34. Asher Kashani

35. Ashley Brown MD Candidate

36. Ashley Comer PhD

37. Ashley Wade MD Candidate

38. Aurelio Diaz MD candidate

39. Avalon Kelly MD/PhD Candidate

40. Avery Mauel, LMSW

41. Benjamin Villarreal MD, MPH

42. Betsy Rosenthal MD

43. Betty Kolod MD, MPH

44. Bhavana Patil MD

45. Blanca Esquivel Clinical Research Coordinator

46. Bree Ferrin RN, MSN, FNP-C

47. Brian R. Edlin MD

48. Bridgid Ryan Community Outreach Coordinator

49. Brigid Mack MD

50. Brooke Friedman PhD Candidate

51. Bruce Trigg MD

52. Cameron Clarke MSc, MPP, MD Candidate

53. Cameron Ormiston MD Candidate

54. Camila Johanek MD Candidate

55. Camille Clare MD, MPH

56. Camille Spencer-Salmon MD, PhD

57. Camilo Pardo DO

58. Carina Seah PhD

59. Carlie Thompson MD

60. Carol Kessler MD

61. Caroline Bandurska MD

62. Carolyn Wember CDPAP

63. Carolynn Tsabai MD

64. Chance Krempasky FNP

65. Chanelle Diaz MD, MPH

66. Charles Francis DO

67. Charles Laurore MS, MD Candidate

68. Charlotte Phillips MD

69. Chelsea Faso MD

70. Chelsea Mina MPH Candidate

71. Chelsea S. Mina MPH Student

72. Chinonso Nwakama MD-PhD Candidate

73. Christina Garcés MD

74. Christina Jones MD

75. Christina Ramgoolam DO

76. Chunkit Fung MD

77. Cindy Gorn RN

78. Cindy Jiao MD

79. Clare Idehen MD

80. Cristina Cusmai MD Candidate

81. Crystal Marquez MD

82. Damien Archbold MBChB, FANZCA, Attending Anesthesiologist

83. Danielle Borger MD

84. Danielle Pickering RN

85. Dante Petruzziello MD Candidate

86. David Kolva MD

87. David Perlman MD

88. Deborah Socolar MPH

89. Eden Sheinin MD Candidate

90. Edward Yi MD

91. Elana Siegel MD

92. Elena Rosenbaum, MD

93. Elizabeth Alcantara PhD

94. Elizabeth Batista MD

95. Ellen Isaacs MD

96. Emery Monnig MD Candidate

97. Emilie Castillo RN

98. Emily Xu MD

99. Emma White MD Candidate

100. Emma Young PhD Candidate

101. Emmanuella Paul MD

102. Erik Augspurger MD

103. Erin Goss MD

104. Eva Chebishev PhD

105. Evan Woo MD Candidate

106. Evelyn Zhang MD Candidate

107. Faith Adams PhD Candidate

108. Fatin Ishraq MD

109. Frank Dowling MD

110. George Alvarez MD

111. Grace DiGiovanni MD Candidate

112. Hailey Yetman MD Candidate

113. Heather Bellanca DNA

114. Heather Paladine MD

115. Helena Zeleke MD Candidate

116. Hudson Jakubowicz MD Candidate

117. Hyowoun Jyung MD

118. Isabel Paine MD Candidate

119. Isabella Karabinas MD/PhD Candidate

120. Isabelle Sillo MD Candidate

121. Isi Sturla MD

122. Isidra Rodriguez-Veve MD Candidate

123. Ismahan Mohamed Social Work

124. Jacqueline O'Boyle DO

125. Jaime Gonzalez MD Candidate

126. James Cone MD

127. James Docherty DO, MS

128. Jamie Loehr MD

129. Jamie Zeng MD Candidate

130. Jane Simpson DO

131. Jared Weiler PhD Candidate

132. Jasmeet Sandhu MD

133. Jasmin Wang MD candidate

134. Jason Hu

135. Jeanne Kim PhD Candidate

136. Jeff Kaczorowski MD, FAAP

137. Jenine Paner-Bansi DO

138. Jerrel Catlett MD/PhD Candidate

139. Jessica Mitter DO

140. Jessica Yang MD

141. Jessie Kinsley MS, Genetic Counseling Student

142. Joan Perez MD Candidate

143. Joan Perez MS, MD Candidate

144. Jonathan Brach DO

145. Joseph Finetti MD

146. Joseph Frankel MD Candidate

147. Joseph Serritello RN

148. Joseph White MD

149. Joshika Money MD

150. Joyce Lei MD Candidate

151. Julia An MD Candidate

152. Julia Cooper MD, AAHIVS

153. Julia Jaffe MD

154. Julie Wegener MD

155. Kaitlin Sundling MD, PhD

156. Karen Becker, MD, MPH FAFP

157. Karen Soohoo MD

158. Katherine Rast MD

159. Kathleen King MD

160. Kathryn McHenry MD Candidate

161. Kayla Retallick-Townsley PhD

162. Kenneth Kircher, DO

163. Kevin Nguyen MD Candidate

164. Kevin Spehar MD Candidate

165. Kierstin Luber, DO, MPH

166. Kristina Villanti MA/MS

167. Laura Boylan MD

168. Laura Decker MD

169. Lauren Hoogewerff MD

170. Lauren Shapiro DO

171. Lee Hinnant MD

172. Leila Hagshenas, MD

173. Likhitha Patlolla MD Candidate

174. Lily Hiltebeitel Graduate Student

175. Lisa Morrow DNP, FNP, RN, L.Ac

176. Louis Verardo MD, FAAFP

177. Lucie Dearden  MD Candidate

178. Luis Estrada PhD Candidate

179. Lynda Karig Hohmann, MD, PhD, MBA

180. Madeline Villalba MD Candidate

181. Madeline Zhang MD Candidate

182. Madison Coveno MSW

183. Maheen Mahar MD Candidate

184. Marc Lavietes MD

185. Marco Barber Grossi MD

186. Marcus Weeks MD Candidate

187. Margaret Davis MD

188. Marianna Worczak MD

189. Marisa Goff PhD Candidate

190. Mariya Masyukova MD, MS

191. Mark Josefski, MD FAAFP

192. Mark Lorthe MD

193. Martha David MD

194. Marva Wade RN

195. Max Ruin Therapist, Mental Health Professional

196. Megha Patel MD

197. Megha Srivastava MD

198. Melanie Lambert MD Candidate

199. Melissa Blum MD Candidate

200. Melissa Gravesande RN

201. Melissa Tracy MD/PhD Candidate

202. Miah Khan LMSW

203. Michael Beauzile MD Candidate

204. Michael Peruggia MD Candidate

205. Michael Zingman MD, MPH

206. Michelle Tong MD

207. Mihir Sharma

208. Misooja Lee MD

209. Natalie Smale  MD Candidate

210. Natasha Anandaraja MD, MPH

211. Naz Khan MD

212. Neel Shah MD

213. Neelima Dosakayala MD

214. Neeloy Bose MS

215. Neha Sikka MD

216. Nicole Oberlag MD Candidate

217. Nicole Woo RN

218. Nisreen Okba PhD

219. Noel Cercizi MD/PhD Student

220. Noga Shalev MD, MS

221. Oladimeji Oki MD

222. Oli Fein MD

223. Olufunmilayo Adeyanju MD

224. Oni Blackstock, MD, MHS, Founder/Executive Director of Health Equity

225. Oren Weiss MD/PhD Candidate

226. Orli Weiss  MD Candidate

227. Peter Sayers MD

228. Phoebe May MD Candidate

229. Preston Leslie Patient Care Associate

230. Priya Thakor RN

231. Qi Xiu Fu PhD Candidate

232. Rachel Wissner MPA Candidate

233. Rachelle Brilliant DO

234. Ragini Vaidya MD, MBA

235. Raysha Crawford DO

236. Rebecca Eckel MD

237. Rebecca Williams MD

238. Rebekah Epstein MD Candidate

239. Reem Abu-Sbaih DO

240. Remi Coker PhD

241. Renee Tung MD/PhD Candidate

242. Rex Tai MD

243. Ricardo Sánchez-Méndez MD Candidate

244. Rima Bakhru FAAO

245. Rishika Singh LMSW, Psychotherapist

246. Roberot Ortega MD/PhD Candidate

247. Robert Dachs MD

248. Robert Schwab LCSW

249. Robert Wiener PhD

250. Rosanna Garcia Social Worker

251. Roula Kouvatas MD Candidate

252. Ruth Light MD

253. S. Yonah EtShalom MSN, MPH (inactive FNP due to Long Covid)

254. Saba Saidi MD Candidate

255. Saba Sharif MD

256. Sahar Shaikh MD

257. Salman Khan MD, MPH

258. Sam McConnell PhD Candidate

259. Samir Rahman PhD

260. Sara Anllo RN

261. Sarah Wang MD Candidate

262. Savannah Pearson Ayala MD

263. Sayeeda Chowdhury MD, MPH

264. Scott Hartman, MD

265. Seth Congdon MD

266. Shane Solger MD

267. Shanzeh Sayied MD Candidate

268. Sharon Stancliff MD

269. Shivani Desai MD

270. Shivani Kulkarni MD Candidate

271. Shobana Ramasamy MD

272. Sierra Moon DO

273. Silpa Chacko

274. Simon Kapler MD Candidate

275. Sonia Iyengar MD, MPP

276. Sonola Burrja MD Candidate

277. Sophia Chertock MD Candidate

278. Sophia YanisMD

279. Srikar Adibhatla MD

280. Srujal Patel MPH Candidate

281. Stephanie Meade DO

282. Steven B Auerbach, MD, MPH, FAAP

283. Sundas Ijaz PhD Candidate

284. Susan Bonadonna MD

285. Thedoe Nyunt MD/PhD Candidate

286. Theresa Lipsky MD

287. Timothy Davis MD Candidate

288. Todd Patton MD, DABFM

289. Tracy Marcelis  MD Candidate

290. Tri Dong PhD Candidate

291. Urenna Nwogwugwu DO Candidate

292. Vanessa Ajeh MD

293. Varun Goel MD

294. Victoria Gonzalez MD

295. Victoria Gorski, MD MD

296. Victoria Hudson RN

297. Victoria Ngo MD

298. Walter Jacob MD Candidate

299. Wesley Ho MD

300. William Jordan MD, MPH

301. William Klepack MD

302. William Kuehnling MD

303. William L Vail MD, MPH&TM

304. William Roberts MD

305. Xyannie De La Rosa RN

306. Yasman Yudeh MS, RN

307. Yi Chen DO

308. Yifei Sun PhD

309. Zachary Gallin MD Candidate

310. Zeest Khan MD

311. Zoey Thill MD

312. Zoheret Memmert-Miller RN