Mayor Eric Adams was once adamant that reviving the city’s economy depended on returning New Yorkers to their offices.

He said in late March, “I need the accountant in the office so that they can go to the local restaurant, so we can make sure that everyone is employed.”

What You Need To Know

  • The mayor says the economic recovery post-COVID may not be centered in Midtown Manhattan

  • Adams in the past had urged New Yorkers to return to their offices

  • NYC is nearing medium-risk COVID status after seven weeks as a low-risk environment

But like others learning to live with COVID, he’s come to accept a new normal, saying Thursday, “Work is going to change. Pre-COVID and post-COVID is going to be different.”

He agreed when NY1 noted to him that someone working from home is likely frequenting the restaurants near their residence.

Adams acknowledged that the economic recovery may not be centered in once-bustling Midtown Manhattan.

But he had a message for New Yorkers working remotely.

“If you’re staying home, not going to the cleaners, not going to get your shoes shined, not going to the cafes and restaurants, that hurts us,” he said. “If you’re doing that in your community, I’m good with that.”

Adams and business community leaders have said they prefer New Yorkers to be commuting across neighborhoods and socio-economic sectors for what the mayor called “cross-pollination.”

The discussion on the role of work-from-home comes as New York City is bracing for an imminent move from a green, low-COVID-risk environment to a yellow, medium-risk one.

“Take precautions, choose to make yourself indoors, get tested frequently and if you test positive, make use of the accessible treatment options we have,” Health Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan said Thursday.

Vasan also urged eligible New Yorkers to get vaccinated and boosted, if they haven’t already.

Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine went one step farther.

“The question shouldn’t be now, ‘Are you vaccinated or not?’ It’s, ‘Are you up to date on your vaccination?’” Levine said. “And if you had your first vaccine course a year ago and it hasn’t been boosted, you’re not up to date.”

Variants are pushing the city’s COVID case numbers up but hospitalizations have not been as severe as they were with past surges.

With many mandates lifted and office workers and tourists slowly returning, there is a balance to be struck.

Levine said: “To keep this comeback going, we have to prevent another COVID wave.”