New York State Governor Kathy Hochul announced a new statewide mandate on Friday requiring masks to be worn by staff and patrons in all indoor public venues, unless those businesses and venues implement a vaccine requirement.
New Yorkers and visitors ages two years and older will be required to wear a mask at all times while indoors or be currently fully vaccinated. State masking requirements will continue to be in effect for pre-K through grade 12 in schools as well as in public transit, homeless shelters, correctional facilities, nursing homes, and health care settings per CDC guidelines.
The new mandate is in effect from Monday, December 13, 2021 until January 15, 2022 and violators face both civil and criminal penalties, including a maximum fine of $1,000 per violation.
“As Governor, my two top priorities are to protect the health of New Yorkers and to protect the health of our economy,” Hochul said in announcing the new mandate. “The temporary measures I am taking today will help accomplish this through the holiday season.
“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,” she said.
“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.”
The move follows the start of a “winter surge” in the state, with communities beginning to see a rise in the number of COVID-19 cases. The statewide seven-day average case rate has increased by 43 percent since Thanksgiving, according to amNY. Hospitalizations have increased by 29 percent.
The governor cited increasing cases, reduced hospital capacity and “insufficient vaccination rates in certain areas” as the reason for the new mandate.
“Community spread requires a community-minded solution, as the Omicron variant emerges and the overwhelmingly dominant Delta variant continues to circulate. We have the tools we need to protect against the virus – and now we must ensure we use them,” Acting Health Commissioner Dr. Mary T. Bassett added.
“Getting vaccinated protects you and wearing a mask is how we will better protect each other.”