© Frank Becerra Jr/The Journal News / USA TODAY NETWORK
Syndication: Westchester County Journal News
NEW YORK (77WABC) — Governor Kathy Hochul today announced masks will be required to be worn in all indoor public places unless businesses or venues implement a vaccine requirement.
“The rest of the state has a wake-up call,” Hochul said in a press conference. “I’ve been warning, I’ve been saying — if we can’t get more people vaccinated or boosted, I have to protect people as well as the economy.”
The action — a statement from her office says — is meant to address the winter surge as COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations rise statewide to be in alignment with the CDC’s recommendations for communities with substantial and high transmission. The State Health Commissioner issued a determination solidifying the requirement.
This determination is based on the State’s weekly seven-day case rate as well as increasing hospitalizations, and the requirements extend to both patrons and staff. The measure goes into December 13 until January 15 of next year, after which the State will re-evaluate based on current conditions. The new measure is meant to bring added layers of mitigation during the holidays when more time is spent indoors shopping, gathering, and visiting holiday-themed destinations.
I’m at the Lincoln Square Neighborhood Center in New York City announcing actions to combat homelessness and expand housing affordability. Watch live: https://t.co/khPLSw5a2k
— Governor Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) December 10, 2021
“As Governor, my two top priorities are to protect the health of New Yorkers and to protect the health of our economy. The temporary measures I am taking today will help accomplish this through the holiday season,” Hochul said in the statement. “We shouldn’t have reached the point where we are confronted with a winter surge, especially with the vaccine at our disposal, and I share many New Yorkers’ frustration that we are not past this pandemic yet.”
“I want to thank the more than 80 percent of New Yorkers who have done the right thing to get fully vaccinated. If others will follow suit, these measures will no longer be necessary. I have warned for weeks that additional steps could be necessary, and now we are at that point based upon three metrics: Increasing cases, reduced hospital capacity, and insufficient vaccination rates in certain areas,” Hochul added.
According to the Governor, since Thanksgiving the statewide seven-day average case rate has increased by 43% and hospitalizations have increased by 29%. While the percentage of New Yorkers fully vaccinated continues to increase—gaining 2% from Thanksgiving weekend to now—the uptick is not fast enough to completely curb the spread of the virus, particularly among communities with low vaccination coverage.
The State Department of Health has produced nation-leading studies, published in the CDC’s MMWR and the New England Journal of Medicine, which demonstrate the COVID-19 vaccines’ effectiveness – particularly in preventing severe disease. The Department continues to urge eligible New Yorkers of all ages to get fully vaccinated and boosted as soon as possible.
