Gov. Hochul Lifts NY’s Statewide Mask Mandate; School Mandates & Others Still Apply

Governor Kathy Hochul has lifted NY’s statewide mask mandate as expected, letting the current rule to expire as of Thursday.

The state mandate had required masks to be worn inside businesses where vaccination status was not being checked.

The State mandate will remain in effect at homeless shelters, healthcare centers, state-run nursing homes, schools and childcare centers, and correctional facilities.

The numbers are clear: we’re seeing major improvement on the key metrics we've been tracking throughout the pandemic:
⬇️ Overall cases are down
⬇️ Positivity rate is down
⬇️ Hospitalizations are down
⬆️ Hospital capacity is up
⬆️ Vaccines and booster rates are up

— Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) February 9, 2022

Masks have been a successful part of our toolkit to fight COVID, and New Yorkers must keep wearing them in certain places throughout the State. pic.twitter.com/XLuqbnVZZ9

— Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) February 9, 2022

In New York City holding a COVID briefing. Watch live: https://t.co/YRjFe7EC3O

— Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) February 9, 2022

While Connecticut and New Jersey are already among a handful of states with plans to ease mask mandates in schools, Governor Hochul hasn’t made the same move, and won’t until the first week of March at the earliest.

What the expiration of the state mandate means for NYC:

* Masks no longer mandated in supermarkets, stores, pharmacies, laundromats etc. (The rule applied only in venues that aren’t required to screen for vax.)

* Mask mandates still in place for mass transit, hospitals, schools.

Where NYC is now on covid:
* Cases down 90%+ since the astounding omicron peak in early Jan
* But still seeing ~2500 cases/day

Wearing a mask remains important in indoor settings, especially if you’re in a venue that doesn’t screen for vaccinations, or if you’re unvacced or immunocompromised.

Kathy Hochul, follow the science and UNMASK OUR KIDS!

— Elise Stefanik (@EliseStefanik) February 8, 2022

Remember the NY health care workers being fired who previously had COVID? Remember the health care worker shortage Hochul's firings made worse? A new @JohnsHopkins study says prior COVID infection gives more protection than vaccination. Science. ALL COVID mandates need to END!

— Lee Zeldin (@RepLeeZeldin) February 4, 2022