Buffalo, NY (WBEN) As New York Governor Kathy Hochul launched a new new COVID-19 preparedness initiative, she noted masks won't be mandatory in schools when the year starts in September.
Hochul says based on the current numbers, there's no need to require masks in schools. However, "I'm going to reserve the right to return to the policy if the numbers change," warns Hochul. Hochul wants to be prepared if another variant should arrive.
Hochul says if she's learned anything from the pandemic, it's that kids need to be in school. "One of the biggest takeaways was the effect of children not being in a school setting, so they need to be in the classroom this fall," says Hochul.
Hochul says fall planning will focus on addressing the below, but not limited to:
-A Return to School strategy, including distributing 3 million tests to schools before the beginning of the school year.
-Getting more New Yorkers vaccinated & boosted, including the ability to stand up mass vaccination sites again if the need arises.
-Encouraging New Yorkers to test early, test often.
-Promoting more access to treatment and therapeutics, including a recently launched statewide hotline for New Yorkers who may not have immediate access to healthcare professionals, as well as an ongoing commitment to support New Yorkers struggling with the effects of Long COVID
-Readying stockpile of personal protective equipment (PPE), including 20 million tests ready to deploy where needed.
-Strengthening our hospital systems, including preparations to ramp up the State's Surge Operations Center in the event they are needed
-Coordinating with federal and local partners.
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