New York has not made any decision on ending its school mask mandate, according to New York health chief Dr. Mary Bassett.
During a Tuesday legislative hearing, Bassett told state lawmakers that there was “no decision” made yet regarding the end of mask mandates in New York schools.
This comes as Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, and Oregon announced that they would be ending statewide mask mandates in schools in the near future.
DEMOCRATS EMBRACE ENDING MASK MANDATES
“Several neighboring states have announced dates for ending the mask mandate, and all of us should be aware that the numbers in terms of the omicron surge are all going in the right direction,” said Bassett.
A spokeswoman for the New York Department of Health said that the rule authorizing Gov. Kathy Hochul to enforce mask mandates in schools is “expected to be renewed” despite its expiration date in late February, reported the Times Union.
At a Monday press conference, Hochul said she plans to make a Wednesday announcement on the fate of New York’s school mask mandate.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy announced the mandate will end March 7 and credited the “dramatic decline in our COVID numbers” as the reason behind the decision. Murphy also shared a tweet in which he said, “We are not going to manage COVID to zero. We have to learn how to live with COVID as we move from a pandemic to an endemic phase of this virus.”
We are not going to manage COVID to zero. We have to learn how to live with COVID as we move from a pandemic to an endemic phase of this virus.
— Governor Phil Murphy (@GovMurphy) February 7, 2022
According to health officials, Oregon’s statewide mask mandate will end on March 31.
Gov. Ned Lamont recommended ending Connecticut’s mandate on Feb. 28, and Delaware Gov. John Carney said its mandate will continue through March.
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According to the National Academy for State Health Policy, 15 states and Washington, D.C., have current statewide school mask mandates.
