Unvaccinated NY governor candidate Andrew Giuliani won't wear a mask indoors

NEW YORK — Despite opting against getting the coronavirus vaccine, Republican gubernatorial hopeful Andrew Giuliani keeps making campaign appearances in various indoor settings without a face mask on in apparent violation of New York’s public health restrictions.

In the past two weeks alone, Giuliani has posted photos of himself on Twitter appearing maskless and shoulder-to-shoulder with staff indoors at a bagel shop, a diner and a pizzeria in upstate New York. In a video from the pizzeria stop in Rensselaer outside Albany on May 22, Giuliani can also be seen talking to reporters who are less than 6 feet away, his face uncovered.

Giuliani’s face covering flouting appears to violate New York State Department of Health regulations that say unvaccinated individuals “must wear masks in all public settings,” including while in food and retail establishments.

The 35-year-old son of former Mayor Rudy Giuliani was forthcoming during his campaign announcement on May 18 that he had not gotten vaccinated and claimed he didn’t need to as long as COVID-19 antibodies remained in his system from when he caught the virus in November.

Speaking to the Daily News on Tuesday, Giuliani said he still hasn’t gotten vaccinated and reiterated the same reason for deciding against it.

“I have not been vaccinated. I have the antibodies,” Giuliani said. “I understand people want to make a big deal that I haven’t gotten vaccinated and still attending events, but I have the antibodies.”

Giuliani’s claim about antibodies belie the science.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say that everyone — regardless of whether they’ve contracted COVID-19 — should get vaccinated as soon as possible because there’s no conclusive research on how long antibodies provide protection. The CDC also warns that there’s not yet conclusive research on whether antibodies prevent asymptomatic individuals from spreading the virus, which is why federal health officials recommend widespread vaccinations.

But Giuliani, who’s one of three candidates contending for the GOP nomination to replace Gov. Andrew Cuomo next year, insisted to The News that he has science on his side.

“I’m following the science on this and the science shows that having the antibodies is enough not just for me but for all New Yorkers around me as well,” he said. “I rather listen to the science than some bureaucrats in Albany.”

It’s unclear if Giuliani or any of the establishments he visited could face repercussions for the apparent mask violations. The State Department of Health did not return a request for comment.

Giuliani hasn’t only shown up maskless to eateries.

In a campaign video released May 25, Giuliani can be seen exiting the Times Square subway station without a face covering. Public transit is one of the few settings where masks should be worn at all times regardless of a person’s vaccination status under New York’s emergency health rule on face coverings.