New COVID-19 Mandates For New York As Surge Hits Hudson Valley

HUDSON VALLEY, NY — Due to the winter surge in coronavirus cases and COVID-19 hospitalizations, Gov. Kathy Hochul said Friday that masks will be required in all indoor public places unless businesses or venues implement a vaccine requirement.

"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," she said. "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. I want to thank the more than 80 percent of New Yorkers who have done the right thing to get fully vaccinated. If others will follow suit, these measures will no longer be necessary."

The daily death toll has been rising statewide. On Nov. 27, there were 31 deaths from COVID-19; the state reported 54 deaths Dec. 9. Almost 3,000 people have died of COVID-19 in New York since Thanksgiving.

The new business and venue requirements extend to both patrons and staff. They are effective Dec. 13 until Jan. 15, after which state health officials will re-evaluate based on conditions.

The new measure brings added layers of mitigation during the holidays when more time is spent indoors shopping, gathering, and visiting holiday-themed destinations. It comes as COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations rise statewide.

"As Governor, my two top priorities are to protect the health of New Yorkers and to protect the health of our economy," Hochul said. "The temporary measures I am taking today will help accomplish this through the holiday season."

The Hudson Valley, which has had one of the lowest coronavirus case rates through the fall, is part of the winter surge, seeing cases rise in all counties since Thanksgiving.

Source: coronavirus.health.ny.gov

Westchester County declared a State of Emergency earlier this week, as the first COVID-19 case of the omicron variant was found in a 13-year-old resident.

SEE:

• Westchester Declaring State Of Emergency As COVID Metrics Rise
• 1st Case Of Omicron Variant Detected In Hudson Valley

In the past seven days, hospitalizations for COVID-19 have gone up steadily in the Hudson Valley.

Unvaccinated individuals continue to be responsible for wearing masks, in accordance with federal CDC guidance. Further, the state's masking requirements continue to be in effect for pre-K to grade 12 schools, public transit, homeless shelters, correctional facilities, nursing homes, and health care settings per CDC guidelines.

New York State and the State's Department of Health continue to strongly recommend mask-wearing in all public indoor settings as an added layer of protection, even when not required. Children 2 - 5 who remain ineligible for vaccination must wear a proper-fitting mask.

COVID-19 vaccines and booster doses are free and widely available statewide. New Yorkers can visit vaccines.gov, text their ZIP code to 438829, or call 1-800-232-0233 to find nearby locations. To schedule an appointment at a state-run mass vaccination site, New Yorkers can visit the Am-I-Eligible site. New Yorkers can also contact their health care provider, county health departments, Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), rural health centers, or pharmacies.

New Yorkers can retrieve their Excelsior Pass or Excelsior Pass Plus here. Businesses and venues can download the Excelsior Pass Scanner app—free for any business nationwide and available in more than ten languages—here.