NY mask mandate lifted for businesses, mask mandate in schools continues
NEW YORK - Gov. Kathy Hochul will lift a COVID-19 mask mandate requiring face coverings in most indoor public settings, like grocery stores, shops, and offices effective Thursday.
The mandate, put in place in mid-December, was set to expire. Hochul had been hinting for several days that she would let the mandate lapse as the state emerges from a deadly wave of cases, fueled by the omicron variant.
Face coverings will still be required in schools. The governor says that will be reassessed during the first week of March.
Hochul said infection rates and hospitalizations have declined to a level where it is safe to rescind the order.
"This fight is not over, we’re not surrendering. This is not disarmament," she told reporters at her New York City office, "but again the trends are very, very positive."
Hochul said this week that she would like to see vaccination rates for children improve before she does away with that statewide mandate, which has been in place since August.
Face coverings will still also be required in hospitals, nursing homes, shelters, transportation systems, and a few other places.
Get breaking news alerts in the free FOX5NY News app! | Sign up for FOX 5 email newsletters
Hochul announced Wednesday that the number of positive COVID tests in New York had dropped to 6,041, a 93 percent decrease since its peak of over 90,000 positive cases earlier in January.
Currently, 4,670 people in the state are hospitalized due to COVID-19, a 63 percent decrease since omicron's peak.
New York's broader masking rule was put in place as omicron cases began to soar. It was initially set to expire weeks ago, but had been extended twice while state officials waited for the wave to subside.
There is an exception for people who can’t medically tolerate a face covering or mask. Public places that required vaccination as a condition of entry were also exempt.
The change in the rules isn't likely to have an immediate impact on personal habit. There were no rules requiring masks in New York City all summer and through most of autumn, yet the vast majority of people still wore them while shopping indoors, as a matter of courtesy.
The Broadway League said theatergoers would still have to wear masks through at least the end of April.
Other big city venues suggested a less stringent approach. The Barclays Center, where the Brooklyn Nets play, said masks are only "strongly recommended."
Hochul also met with school board members, superintendents and parent-teacher associations from across the state on Tuesday in order to hear firsthand some concerns. Key players who were in the meeting say that much of the frustration they are hearing from parents stems from a lack of clarity around the metrics being used to keep the mask mandate in place.
RELATED: NY school mask mandate: Patience wearing thin
New York state Department of Health spokesperson Jill Montag said Monday that regulation is "expected to be renewed" for now.
"We are all excited about the possibility of lifting these restrictions, but Gov. Hochul’s thoughtful and prudent approach is the right one," said Michael Mulgrew, president of the United Federation of Teachers, the union representing teachers in New York City.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention still recommends universal masking in schools.
With the Associated Press