Hochul On Student Vaccine Mandate: 'Willing To Consider Anything'

LONG ISLAND, NY — Gov. Kathy Hochul said she would not rule out the idea of mandating vaccinations for kids ages 12 to 17 in New York State.

On Tuesday, Hochul spoke about the new #VaxToSchool initiative to get young people in that age group vaccinated. Statewide, about 54 percent of kids ages 12 to 17 have been vaccinated, with numbers lower in Black and brown communities, she said.

When the vaccine first became available to that age group, after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention gave the green light back in May, Hochul said there was an opportunity but that many may have thought the coronavirus crisis was in the past.

"And then the delta variant skyrocketed," she said. "Now children are the ones getting sick."

With a focus on prioritizing in-person learning, Hochul said it's critical to keep kids safe.

"We cannot do anything to endanger our children," she said. "It's like putting your kids in a car on a busy highway with no seat belt, or sending out a young, inexperienced driver and saying, 'Good luck.' Keeping them unvaccinated in a global pandemic is something I can't fathom as a parent."

Vaccinations, she said, are akin to seat belts, bike helmets and car seats.

When asked if she would mandate vaccinations for young people in that age group, Hochul said, "I'm open to all options."

She said her initial inclination was to make the decision voluntary for parents. But if circumstances change and the numbers continue to go up, "I'm willing to consider anything," she said.

When asked about news regarding Pfizer's announcement that the CDC has said the vaccination, at a lower dose, was safe for children 5 to 11, Hochul said she was willing to let science and CDC recommendations drive decisions, along with multiple layers of review in New York.

"I'm excited about this possibility if I'm the parent of a 5-year-old," Hochul said.

Regarding booster shots, Hochul said the state is awaiting final confirmation from the federal government but has allocated $65 million to help local communities administer the vaccinations.

"You can't be protected enough against this pandemic," she said.

On Tuesday, Hochul announced 120 new #VaxtoSchool pop-up vaccination sites across New York over a 12-week-period as part of the campaign to increase vaccination rates among younger people. Over the next 12 weeks, the State Department of Health will be working with localities, community-based organizations, and health care centers to establish the new sites statewide.

Mobile vans will be targeted at communities with low vaccination rates among young people, especially communities of color; a new website was also created to provide information and educate parents, she said.

"We're here for one reason. One reason. That's to protect our children," Hochul said.

That's why she said it was her priority when she took office a month ago to announce a universal mask mandate in schools.