New York’s embattled indoor mask mandate has been extended. At least for a week- pending any further court action on the matter. Governor Kathy Hochul announced on Friday that the state’s mask mandate would be extended from February 1 to February 10.
After that point the mandate will be evaluated every two weeks and be implemented depending on COVID-19 case volume.
“We’re just not there yet,” Hochul said during a press event ahead of a major winter storm along the coast. “We’re going to continue to keep people safe.”
Across the state the mandate is being ignored, or simply not enforced, which has prompted heavy criticism. Even in counties where health officials didn’t outright denounce the mandate- enforcement has been non-existent.
An Appellate Court judge temporarily restored the indoor mask mandate after a state Supreme Court ruling the day prior. An appeals process is underway. Hochul was confident on Friday the mandate would be upheld, despite it being deemed unconstitutional in the state Supreme Court ruling.
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