New York Gov. Kathy Hochul on Feb. 9 announced at a news conference that she is lifting the state mandate requiring the wearing of masks to combat Covid-19 at indoor businesses. This includes indoor places where the public may gather, such as retailers, offices, theaters, bars and restaurants. She said that the business mask mandate goes away effective Feb. 10.
The mask mandate will remain in effect on buses, subways and trains and at their stations, at airports and on planes, in homeless and domestic violence shelters, as well as in childcare centers, correctional facilities, state-regulated adult care facilities and nursing homes, and state-regulated health care settings.
Hochul did not change the state”™s position that requires the use of masks in schools, however, saying that the subject will be revisited during the first week in March.
Hochul cited the dramatic drop in the state”™s Covid infection rate as justification for removing the mandate, which stood at 3.67% as of Feb. 8, down from a high of 23.2% at the beginning of January.
“It is the right decision to lift this mandate for indoor businesses and let counties, cities and businesses make their own decisions on what they want to do with respect to mask or vaccination requirements, “Hochul said. “Given declining cases, given declining hospitalizations, that is why we feel comfortable to lift this … tomorrow.”
Hochul extended thanks to those who cooperated in making the use of masks as effective as it appears to have been in reducing infection rates, hospitalizations and deaths from the virus.
“I believe this has made a huge difference and it gives also patrons of business the comfort to know they were safe when they went into these stores during the most vulnerable time when we saw those numbers literally off the charts and now those numbers are coming down and it”™s time to adapt,” Hochul said. “However, we want to make sure that every business knows this is your prerogative and individuals who want to continue wearing masks (can) continue wearing masks.”
Hochul predicted that when she walks the streets of cities she will continue to see people wearing masks because they feels safer doing so. She encouraged the continued use of masks to help prevent the spread of the virus.
“Thank you to the business owners. It wasn”™t easy,” Hochul said.
