On May 17, 2022, New York City raised its COVID-19 alert level from medium to high. The move comes two weeks and one day after the alert level was raised from low to medium. On May 16, 2022, the New York City Commissioner of Health & Mental Hygiene warned that a high alert could be coming and advised residents to wear masks in public indoor settings. As of yet, NYC has not moved to require face masks, despite the Commissioner’s recommendation. The alert level could be raised further if warranted by public health metrics, and the rise in cases could be part of a broader trend across jurisdictions.