"We're doing a preemptive strike, putting extremely strong measures in place to stop us from ending up where we did in 2020 with shutdowns and restrictions. Officials say the increase is reflective of some of the overall case surge but it's been relatively contained for now -- a testament to the ability of the existing vaccines to ward off severe COVID-linked illness and death. This is the Georgia Stacey Abrams wants, warned a digital ad with which the campaign of former Senator David Perdue, a Republican running for governor, sought to capitalize on the misstep. New York State's statewide indoor mask mandate will be lifted when it expires on Thursday. Virus admissions are up 92% in the last month alone, and daily deaths topped 60 Sunday for the first time in well more than half a year but dropped to the mid-40s Monday. All New Yorkers 6 months and older should get vaccinated and get their booster dose when eligible. As COVID cases decline across the region, emotions are running high on both sides of the debate. Weekly case counts rose in 45 of 62 counties from the previous week. Mask Mandates Updates. NY Waterway operates 2 Hudson Valley lines under contract with the MTA, which are subject to the MTA's rules. She also called on those testing positiveto talkto theirhealth care provider about pursuingtreatment options, such as the COVID-19 antiviral pills. NEW YORK (WABC) -- Governor Kathy Hochul announced the end of the indoor mask mandate in New York State effective Thursday, but city and school mandates will remain in place. announcing that New Jersey would no longer require students and school employees to wear masks, laid out benchmarks on Tuesday for when the city would lift proof-of-vaccine requirements, advance legislation that would do just that, growing numbers of voters signaling that they are prepared to live with the virus as it is now. If you head inside any space that's not your home and doesn't require full vaccination proof, you must wear a mask, according to an order the governor issued last week in a preemptive attack on the latest COVID wave. Kathy Hochul implemented the new rules because of the rising number of cases and hospitalizations, which have been especially pronounced in some upstate areas. "Treatment is widely available and works best if taken within five days of symptom onset, so get tested quickly after symptoms arise, Bassett said. | Sign up for FOX 5 email newsletters. Amid arising number of cases in Japanof the omicron variant of coronavirus, all ski jumping World Cup events there this season were canceled Saturday. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. Kathy Hochul will drop New York's stringent indoor mask mandate on Wednesday, ending a requirement that businesses ask customers for proof of full vaccination or require mask wearing. The end of the state mandate won't . In the week before that, 112 people were reported dead. @AsteadWesley, A version of this article appears in print on, Dropping Indoor Mask Mandate, New York Joins Blue States Easing Covid Rules, https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/08/us/politics/new-york-mask-mandate.html. Any changes to this policy will be announced via the app, our website and social media channels. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. 's decision voided the national rule earlier this week. The mask mandate for places like grocery stores, shops and offices was put in place Dec. 10 as the omicron variant began infecting huge numbers of New Yorkers. In California, Gov. The state added 33,811 new cases in the week ending Sunday, down from the previous week's tally of 54,466 new cases of the virus that causes COVID-19. / CBS News. 24th Senate District . Hochul said infection rates and hospitalizations have declined to a level where it is safe to rescind the order. Last week, they took their concerns to the White House. Governors and local officials are seeing the sentiments of the people theyre serving. Later this month, on Dec. 27, de Blasio's strictest-in-the-nation vaccine mandate takes effect. With COVID-19 infection rates dropping, Gov. But even Democratic voters, they agreed, were wearying of the toughest restrictions, growing increasingly impatient with mandates and feeling ready to live with the risk that remained. He says timing is everything especially since the mask mandate is set to expire next month anyway. Kathy Hochul is signaling that the state's mask mandate which is set to Cornell University said it found almost 300 new COVID cases among students tested Friday and Saturday, including some of the new omicron variant. 40-plus U.S. people who have been found to be infected with omicron so far, more than 75% of them were vaccinated. The mandate takes effect four days before Mayor-Elect Eric Adams is sworn into office. As CBS New York reports, the change marks a promising shift in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. Even after the indoor mask mandate is lifted, everyone must still wear masks on public transit. As cases plummeted, the public health dynamics were shifting, too, giving the governors the opportunity to figure out how to arrive at a new sense of normal. He was previously a Washington-based political reporter and a City Hall reporter for The Boston Globe. Coronavirus Covid Updates: New York Is Lifting Mask Mandate, Too Even in Virginia, where an executive order making masks optional in schools, by Gov. Keep refreshing this page for the latest news. While more data is needed to determine whether omicron is linked to more severe outcomes or reduced vaccine efficacy, experts say it certainly appears to be more infectious than earlier strains, possibly even more infectious than delta. An appeals judge restored the mandate the next day, allowing it to stay in place while Hochuls administration sought to have the ruling thrown out. Senators Talking About this Issue . The end of the state mandate won't stop counties and municipalities from imposing their own COVID-19 mandates, Hochul said. >> Track coronavirus cases across the United States. The change in the rules isn't likely to have an immediate impact on personal habit. Kathy Hochul is signaling that the states mask mandate which is set to expire Feb. 10 could be done away with entirely. About 82% are fully vaccinated, the latest city data shows. The agency said earlier that they would continue to follow CDC guidelines. After years of urging their voters to follow the science, Democrats in the states are moving more quickly to lift restrictions than the Biden administration, which remains scarred after all but declaring victory against the virus last summer only to greet the Delta variant. Kathy Hochul lifted a statewide mask mandate Wednesday amid a battle over the rule's legality and as a surge in Covid-19 infections continues to recede. He was vaguer when asked Monday about enforcement plans, telling reporters at his COVID briefing that the city was working in partnership with the state to help execute and enforce the mandate. For the last two months, customers and workers have been required to cover their faces or show proof of COVID-19 vaccination in most indoor settings. Hochul to make Wednesday announcement on mask mandate as expiration nears "Why is all this happening? So, to everyone who had to enforce these rules you did the right thing., The latest numbers show that more than 5,800 people are still in hospitals across the state being treated for serious illness related to COVID-19. EVERY DEMOCRAT VOTED TO KEEP MASKS ON CHILDREN . With less than 24 hours to go from another court hearing on the fate of New York's indoor mask mandate, the fight over face coverings is reaching a fever pitch on Long Island. In New York, tracking the rise in COVID-19 cases has also been complicated by the widespread use of at-home tests. He joined The Times in 2017 and previously wrote about housing for the Metro desk. Hochul had previously said she would like to see vaccination rates for children improve before she does away with the schools mandate, which has been in place since August. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. "If we hadn't seen these two variants I'd suspect we would've been able to say goodbye to masks in all settings," Hochul said Wednesday, referring to omicron subvariants BA.2.12.1 and BA.2.12. New York Gov. NY Home to Most of America's COVID High' Risk Counties, CDC Says, Where You Still Need to Wear Covid Face Masks and Where You Don't Anymore, COVID hospitalizations are up nearly 60% in the last month, majority of Americans continue to support a mask requirement. Mask Mandates | NY State Senate Read the full text of the new state mask mandate right here. NY Gov. That requirement has been in place through a program known as Key to NYC, which was implemented through an executive order from the mayor and must be renewed every five days. After a scare in November, New Jerseys governor and other Democratic leaders held back-channel talks over lifting mandates and helping voters impatient with restrictions reclaim a sense of normalcy. The latest implementation -- with that proof-of-vaccination tweak -- comes as state COVID hospitalizations have topped 3,600 for the first time since April 20. Overall, he said the mandate is the right thing to do -- and doubled down on his own expansion of vaccine requirements for kids aged 5 to 11 that takes effect Tuesday. On Monday, he acted without White House support by announcing that New Jersey would no longer require students and school employees to wear masks, in defiance of the current recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Hochul emphasized that it was a federal judge's procedural overturn, not a shift in perspective from the federal health agencies overseeing the pandemic, that ended the national mask mandate for travel. "Nothing has changed in how we handle it but we're not losing sight of it.". "There's no debating those points, no matter where you stand.". Ramaphosa started feeling unwell and a test confirmed COVID-19, a statement from the presidency announced. As for schools, Hochul said an assessment would be made regarding mask mandates in March as many children return from break. However, TLCs mask requirement remains in effect for all taxis and for-hire vehicles -- which Uber and Lyft fall under. We have still not received an answer. NBC New York's Erica Byfield reports. Thank you for riding with us.NYC Ferry. NEW YORK (PIX11) A major New York state mandate could soon be lifted. Hochul says her mandate was spurred in part by soaring COVID rates in areas with low vaccination rates. Gov. On those routes (Newburgh-Beacon and Haverstraw-Ossining) masks are still required by the MTA. Ramaphosa, 69, is fully vaccinated. We don't want to penalize people unless there is overt resistance and unwillingness to cooperate, which is very, very rare," de Blasio explained. The NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission, the city agency responsible for licensing and regulating New York City's Medallion (yellow) taxi cabs, for-hire vehicles (community-based liveries, black cars and luxury limousines), commuter vans, and paratransit vehicles, announced Tuesday that masks are still required in all of their vehicles. New York enacted a mask mandate early in the pandemic that ended in June 2021 for vaccinated individuals. But slowly, as case rates began to fall again in January, conversations between Mr. Murphys aides and senior officials in other states began to pick back up. She hopes it won't be for much longer, though. 0. meetings or public hearings. Following the strike down of the federal mask mandate, wearing a mask now depends on your mode of transportation. Here's what else you need to know about it, whether you're a patron, employee or owner. It is unclear if some localities with their own strict mask and vaccination rules might follow Ms. Hochuls lead and potentially lift their restrictions, too. If you have questions about the data or the story, contact Mike Stucka at mstucka@gannett.com. Mask use is linked to a roughly 70% reduced risk of COVID infection, the state says -- and the governor insists now is the time to start maximizing tools to reduce risk. "We saw it coming, it happened, we hit our peak on January 7, but now we've noticed a 93% drop in cases," Hochul said. Bassett also urged New Yorkers to geta COVID-19 test following exposure or when developing symptoms, and to stayhome and isolatewhen symptomatic. Kathy Hochul will drop New Yorks stringent indoor mask mandate on Wednesday, ending a requirement that businesses ask customers for proof of full vaccination or require mask wearing at all times, and marking a turning point in the states coronavirus response, according to three people briefed on her decision. The easing of New Yorks pandemic restrictions on businesses comes as Democratic-led states from New Jersey to California have announced similar moves this week, in a loosely coordinated effort that is the result of months of public-health planning, back-channel discussions and political focus groups that began in the weeks after the November election. He is originally from San Juan, Puerto Rico. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention still recommends universal masking in schools. The decision will eliminate a rule that prompted legal and interpersonal clashes over mask wearing, especially in conservative parts of New York. Republicans excoriated Gov. Mizelle argued the only remedy was to vacate the rule entirely because it'd be impossible to end it for the limited group who objected in the lawsuit. ", That's why New Yorkers can expect the state to hold the line on its current mask plan, which Hochul stressed should only be in place for the "short term. @llerer, Luis Ferr-Sadurn covers New York State politics in Albany. Kathy Hochul announced Friday. Parents know their children best, and should be able to make decisions about what is best for them.". 1-888-364-3065 The Latest on New York's Response to COVID-19 Get vaccinated and stay up to date with all recommended doses. We are all in this together and if others will follow suit, these measures will no longer be necessary.". News Legislation Events. Nearly 95% of the municipal workforce is at least partially vaccinated, while 90% of NYC adults have at least one dose. UCLA's Dr. Timothy Brewer says coronavirus vaccine booster doses can help your immune system against the Omicron variant much better than your first and second shots. Parents are also in legal limbo as school districts continue to send mixed messages on whether masks must be worn. USA TODAY 0:00 1:05 Masks will be required starting Monday in all indoor public places across New York unless businesses or venues implement a vaccine requirement for entry. , US forest managers urge revelers to swap fireworks. It quickly spread globally, prompting new travel restrictions and prevention methods. The CDC still encourages mask-wearing, especially in congested settings where vaccination status can't be determined. The state mandate had required masks to be worn inside businesses where vaccination status was not being checked. RELATED: NY indoor mask mandate stays in place after confusing day. Phil Murphy announced a change of plans. ALBANY, N.Y. ( NEWS10) New York's mandate to wear masks indoors except for where vaccination proof is required continues this week. The mandatescomeas COVID-19 casesspiked statewide more than 43% since Thanksgiving, straining the health care systemamid staffing shortages, Gov. ", "There are too many places shutting down because they didn't put the strongest possible measures in place. New York State United Teachers President Andy Pallotta called for clear metrics that lay out when the mask mandate can be relaxed. Kathy Hochul announced Wednesday that the state will end a COVID-19 mandate requiring face coverings in most indoor public settings, but will keep masking rules in place in schools for now. And starting Dec.27, city residentsages 12 and older participating in public indoor activities will be required to show proof they have been fully vaccinated. Some hospitals in rural, upstate parts of New York are still facing high hospitalization rates that are straining capacity: Hochul's administration has halted nonessential elective surgeries at 23 of roughly 200 hospitals in New York as of last Friday. More than half of the identified variant cases were in people age 18-39. Onondaga County, for example, had been the only county to include its self-reported at-home test resultsin state data, which slightly skewed the region's case totals. State health officials will continue to monitor the situation and revisit the question in early March. Charlie Baker announced the state would lift its school mask mandates at the end of the month. New York's broader masking rule was initially set to expire weeks ago, but was extended while state officials waited for the omicron wave to subside. And public health has to meet people where they are., In a new wave of national polls, growing numbers of Americans have expressed a willingness to move on from the strictest mandates. 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New York reported 22,654 COVID cases in the week ending Sunday, up from 19,377 the previous week, and continuing the turnaround that began last month following a brieflull in the pandemic. Governor Hochul announced the end of the indoor mask mandate in New York State effective Thursday, but the mandate will remain in place for schools. Many parents and business owners out here hope its sooner than later. Tremendous progress after two long years. For weeks, Hochul has said local governments would decide on their own whether to reimpose COVID-19 protocols. Seven in 10 respondents to a recent poll by Monmouth University agreed that its time we accept Covid is here to stay and we just need to get on with our lives.. While the movement to loosen pandemic restrictions began in swing states like Colorado, Pennsylvania and Michigan, its spread to some of the bluest states reflects a country entering a new political phase in the nearly two-year-long pandemic.
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