Gov. Kathy Hochul gave no indication Wednesday about whether she plans to let the state’s mask-wearing requirements on public transportation lapse next month when her pandemic emergency order encompassing those executive orders expires.
The state’s emergency disaster order, which the Democrat has been extending monthly, is set to expire on May 15. If she does, all statewide COVID rules tied exclusively to the measure will also likely expire, though the governor could adjust the language around parts of it or sign a new order.
State guidance has long relied on guidance issued by the CDC, which is changing a bit right now as the Justice Department appealed a federal judge’s decision to strike down the rule.
Governor Hochul was not explicitly asked about the use of face coverings on public transportation when she participated in person at an MTA Board meeting in Manhattan. This to thank the transit workers who helped protect the city during the Brooklyn subway shooting earlier this month. (She also had some big transit news: free MTA bus rides to LaGuardia).
The only reference to mask-wearing came from the governor herself as she began her remarks by describing her trip to the MTA board office on Broadway in Manhattan. She simply noted the high proportion of people who complied with the order still in place.
Wednesday marked the first time a sitting New York governor had attended a board meeting of the MTA, which is run jointly by the city and state. It’s not clear how such shared management could affect the mandate if New York City leaders, for example, want to keep it for public transportation across the five boroughs.
Local municipalities have always had the option to implement a stricter COVID protocol than the one required by the state. It’s unclear whether Gov. Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams, who said earlier this month that he wasn’t ready to lift the subway rule yet, are aligned with the plans.
The Democratic governor said last week that she intended to keep masks on for the “short term” but did not elaborate on what that might mean. Governor Hochul has consistently chosen to announce final decisions on easing COVID rules until just before any related orders expire to ensure she has the most recent data.
Responding to questions about the mandate after a federal judge’s decision struck down the national rule last week, Gov. Hochul emphasized that it was the procedural reversal of a federal judge, not a change in perspective by the federal health agencies that oversee the pandemic, which ended the national mask-wearing mandate for travel. The CDC still encourages the use of masks, especially in congested settings where vaccination status cannot be determined.
Governor Hochul has said she hopes it won’t be the general rule in New York for much longer. Dr. Anthony Fauci’s recent comments on the COVID pandemic support that notion, even as New York grapples with a viral rebound that accounts for 23 of the 40 high-risk COVID counties in the United States, according to CDC data updated Tuesday. .
However, New York City’s numbers have remained strong, with core viral metrics consistently among the lowest, if not the lowest, in all 10 regions in the state. And central New York, which experienced significant community spread linked to Omicron subvariants BA.2.12.1 and BA.2.12 this month, is seeing its COVID numbers stabilize, the governor said.
State COVID hospitalizations, a much more critical benchmark than cases at this point in the pandemic, have remained manageable. The rolling rate of new COVID admissions per 100,000 residents rose sharply in recent weeks, but sharply below the unprecedented rise fueled by the Omicron spike in January, the data shows.
About half of new COVID admissions statewide involve people who weren’t admitted for the virus in the first place, suggesting those cases are minor, Hochul said.
And for those worried about the latest numbers, she and her Health Department commissioner continue to remind New Yorkers that the same measures are still working.
“Our best weapon against this virus is the vaccine, so if you haven’t, get vaccinated and make sure you receive extra protection when you qualify,” Hochul said in a statement Tuesday. “If you have any symptoms or don’t feel well, get tested. If you are positive for COVID-19, talk to your doctor about treatment and limit your exposure to others. Let’s all continue to do our part to move forward safely during this time.” pandemic”.
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