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Gov. Kathy Hochul announced a statewide mask mandate for New York on Friday which will go into effect on Monday through Jan. 15. The state will then reevaluate the mandate to decide if it is still necessary.

The mandate requires people to wear a mask in indoor public places unless they provide proof of vaccination. Masking is not required for children under the age of 2. Violations of the mandate will come with a maximum $1,000 fine each.

The rising number of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in New York have prompted the state to impose the mandate, with the statewide seven-day average of cases increasing 43% and hospitalizations increasing 29% since Thanksgiving. Hospitals across upstate New York are already reaching 100% capacity.

“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 said in a statement announcing the mandate.

Although the state previously left the decision to impose mask mandates up to county officials after lifting a prior statewide mandate in June, the new mandate comes as cases of the omicron variant have been detected in New York. Local health departments will be responsible for enforcing the new statewide mandate.

“We shouldn’t have reached the point where we are confronted with a winter surge, especially with the vaccine at our disposal,” Hochul said. She added that increased vaccination rates across the state could eliminate the need for a mandate in the future.

Almost 70% of New Yorkers are fully vaccinated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Under Syracuse University’s color-coded COVID-19 alert levels, the university is on the “RED” level, which it has been on since before the semester began. Those who are unvaccinated and vaccinated must wear a mask indoors and outdoors in the presence of others.

Published on December 10, 2021 at 1:16 pm

Contact Danny: ddamron@syr.edu | @dannyamron_