NEW YORK- GreekNewsUSA, AP
Starting tomorrow, masks will be once again required in all indoor public places across New York State unless a full vaccination requirement is already in place by businesses or venues. The mandate, announced by NYS Governor Kathy Hochul last Friday, will be in effect at least through January 15, after which the State will reevaluate based on current conditions.
This comes as nationwide the average number of Covid 19 cases is up 37% from last week, with hospitalizations rising in at least 42 states. Statewide, since Thanksgiving, the seven-day average case rate has increased by 43% and hospitalizations have increased by 29%.
Per the CDC as of December 11, 2021, 93.1% of adult New Yorkers have at least one vaccine dose.
“We’re entering a time of uncertainty, and we could either plateau here, or have cases rise out of control”, Governor Hochul said at a press conference. “I don’t want to go back ever again to that place where people couldn’t go to their jobs safely, people couldn’t congregate, kids couldn’t go to school”, she said.
Anyone who violates the mask mandate could face fines of up to $1,000 and is subject to all civil and criminal penalties.
In New York City, such a mandate is already in effect for bars, restaurants and gyms.
“As Governor, my two top priorities are to protect the health of New Yorkers and to protect the health of our economy. 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,” Governor Hochul said.”I want to thank the more than 80 percent of adult New Yorkers who have done the right thing to get fully vaccinated. If others will follow suit, these measures will no longer be necessary”.
“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”, Governor Hochul added.
Nearly 3,500 people are hospitalized with confirmed COVID-19 cases in New York — almost double from 1,794 on Nov. 7.
