New York state’s indoor mask or vaccine requirement for indoor businesses and venues will be lifted effective Thursday, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced during a Wednesday COVID-19 briefing.
The mask requirement for schools, some health care facilities, and other settings, however, will remain in effect, according to the governor. She added counties, cities, and businesses will be allowed to make their own respective decisions for masking or vaccine requirements if they choose to do so.
“The storm clouds are parting, just as the COVID clouds are parting,” Gov. Hochul said. “Our COVID numbers are declining on many fronts.”
According to the governor, the mask mandate remains in effect for the following:
- State-regulated health care settings
- State-regulated adult health care facilities & nursing homes
- Correctional facilities
- Schools and childcare centers
- Homeless shelters
- Domestic violence shelters
- Buses, bus stations, trains, train stations, subway, subway stations, planes, and airports
Mask requirements for health care and adult care facilities will be extended to visitors and guests, according to the governor.
“We are going to continue, for now, with health care facilities, adult care, homeless shelters, schools, and correctional facilities,” Gov. Hochul said. “I want people to know that this pandemic isn’t over, it’s not over. That is why we are going to maintain some mandates. I want people to be safe. A day doesn’t go by where someone doesn’t tell me they have long COVID. We are lifting the mask mandate for businesses, but there are vulnerabilities.”
