Future Governor Hochul- Masks Are Soon to Be Required in All NY Schools

The future governor of New York State said on Wednesday that under her administration, masks will be mandated for all schools. Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul will take the oath of office on August 24th, after Governor Andrew Cuomo resigns.

Hochul, speaking to reporters at a school cafeteria in Queens, said she expects the health department will issue the order after she takes office, according to a report issued by the New York State School Boards Association.

"I believe that we’ll need mask mandates for children to go back to school. And that will have to be universal. It will be statewide," Hochul said to reporters.

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Hochul said that she will not have the authority to make the order, but the DOH will after she takes office, according to Erin Durkin of Politico. Hochul has also said she is in favor of mandatory vaccinations or weekly testing for school employees.

"There is a tremendous amount of anxiety among parents, teachers, administrators, who thought what we went through last year would be it, that there would be closure, that by the time the school year started in 2021 we’d be in a different place," Hochul said, according to WABC-TV. "We thought we were there a few months ago, the Delta variant has changed the dynamic considerably, so we have to continue being vigilant. But, number one, our children need to be back in schools," Hochul said.

On Sunday, Hochul told CNN she might ask the legislature in Albany to grant her permission to require vaccinations for all school employees in the state.