Masks encouraged but not required in NY schools

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Masks encouraged but not required in NY schools

New York State on Friday lifted an order that students in schools must wear masks indoors, as officials waded into a hotly contested issue regarding COVID-19 safeguards.

State Health Commissioner Howard Zucker, in a letter to the head of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said "as a minimum state-wide guidance" schools do not have to make vaccinated or unvaccinated students wear face masks while indoors, though it is "strongly encouraged" for those who have not completed their vaccinations for COVID-19.

The new order also applies to summer camps, and goes into effect Monday.

"Indoors, mask use will be strongly encouraged but not required for students, campers, and staff/teachers/counselors who are not fully vaccinated," Zucker wrote to Dr. Rochelle Walensky, head of the Centers for Disease Control andNew York City has continued to register low levels of new COVID-19 infections after bearing the brunt of the pandemic in the United States last year.
He added that "both indoors and outdoors, students, campers, and staff who are fully vaccinated do not need to wear masks. Schools and camps may choose to implement stricter standards."

Schools and camps may still "choose to implement stricter standards," according to Zucker's memorandum.

The state's mask mandate had ended in April across a range of categories but remained in place at schools, on public transportation, hospitals, nursing homes and correctional facilities.

Just this week, more than 100 people protested in Hauppauge against the mask mandate. They pleaded for officials to allow their children to go mask-free in school as the weather heats up and COVID-19 infection rates decline to record lows.

Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-Shirley), a GOP candidate for governor who helped organize that rally, said masks have contributed to the developmental, emotional and physical harm of students during the pandemic.

Zucker also said in his letter that "outdoors, masks are not required; students, campers, and staff/teachers/counselors who are not fully vaccinated are 'encouraged' to wear a mask in certain higher-risk circumstances."

New York Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt, who had also called on Cuomo "to loosen the mask restrictions" in schools ahead of warm weather said in a statement Friday that the matter "should have been in the hands of the local school districts long ago," and said the change is "welcome news for students, staff and concerned parents."

Cuomo's office did not offer any information on whether the mask mandate will also be lifted in the other locations where it remains in place.

For the first time in months, many people are now freely walking into supermarkets, stores and restaurants with no masks on. But some parents have complained bitterly that their children must still wear masks in school.

Others believe schools should finish out the last few weeks of the academic year with the mask mandate in place, and then come back in September mask-free.

The announcement came as COVID-19 indicators remained at record lows throughout the state.

The statewide daily level for positive results in tests completed Thursday was 0.42%, while the seven-day average was 0.56%.

The seven-day average was 0.51% on Long Island and 0.45% in New York City.

The number of new confirmed cases was 43 in Nassau County, 38 in Suffolk County, and 350 in New York City.

Across the state, 15 people died of COVID-19-related causes on Thursday, including one each in Nassau and Suffolk.

Message edited 6/3/2021 8:42:21 PM.

Posted 6/3/21 8:40 PM