NYS Mask Mandate or Vaccine Requirement for Indoor Public Places Starts Monday,
What to Know
- Gov. Kathy Hochul says stricter measures are needed to curb COVID spread across the state; delta has driven hospitalizations to months-long highs while omicron may be fueling the latest case surge
- Daily COVID deaths in NY topped 50 (54) on Thursday for the first time in months, while the daily caseload topped 12,400 for the first time since late January — and hospitalizations are up 86% in the last month
- Omicron has now been identified in at least half of U.S. states and 60-plus countries; preliminary data on severity has been encouraging, Fauci says, but delta continues to drive up the hospitalization rate
Come Monday, all indoor public places in New York that do not require proof of full vaccination for entry must implement a mask mandate, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Friday. She called it a “major action” to address the worst COVID surge the state has seen in more than half a year across all of the key indicators.
The decision was based on mounting concern of the state’s weekly seven-day case rate and rising hospitalizations, Hochul said. Noncompliance comes with fines of up to $1,000 per violation. The order will be reassessed on Jan. 15. Here are three key things businesses, employees and the public should know about it right now.
The statewide seven-day average case rate has increased by 43% since Thanksgiving and hospitalizations are up 29% in that timeframe, the governor said. Vaccinations have increased 2% in that window, not enough to outpace the spread.
In total, COVID-19 hospitalizations statewide are at their highest levels since late April and have soared 86% in the last month alone, the latest data shows. Hochul and health experts say that’s a reflection of the still omnipresent grip of delta, which accounts for 99% of all genetically sequenced positive samples in New York — and the nation — and has been scientifically linked to more severe cases of infection.
Those across-the-board upticks combined with the looming threat of holiday-related spikes warrant intense, early action, Hochul said. Local health departments are being asked to enforce the new requirements.
“The temporary measures I am taking today will help accomplish this through the holiday season,” the Democrat said. “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.”
Daily COVID deaths in the state topped 50 (54) on Thursday for the first time in months, while the daily caseload topped 12,400 for the first time since late January. The latter increase could be reflective of omicron’s spread throughout the state. Hochul and New York City leaders have said community transmission appears to be well underway. While just 20 cases statewide have been detected so far (13 of them in New…
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