[ad_1]
New York’s mask mandate for public schools in the state and city will end this Wednesday, Gov. Kathy Hochul said on Sunday.
Speaking from Albany, Hochul said local governments would now be empowered to set their own school mask requirements in accordance with new CDC guidelines released on Friday that reclassified much of the state as “low risk” for COVID infection.
“Given the decline in our rates, our hospitalizations, strong vaccination rates and the CDC guidance, we, friends, the day has come,” Hochul said. “Today we are going to be announcing that would be lifting the statewide mask requirement in schools, and that’ll be effective this Wednesday, March 2.”
A Siena college poll conducted Feb. 14 to 17 found 58 percent of New Yorkers wanted Hochul to wait until early March data before deciding whether to lift the school mask mandate, compared to 30 percent who believe the mask should have ended already, with the rest undecided.
This is a developing story. Please Check back for updates.
[ad_2]