NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — By most accounts, the omicron-driven surge of COVID cases has peaked. The numbers are headed down, so how much longer do we need to require kids in New York schools to wear masks?
That’s the question that newly-elected Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman is asking Gov. Kathy Hochul.
Blakeman tells WCBS 880 In Depth that “we’re not measuring the psychological damage that we are doing to our children” — referring to the mask mandate for New York schools imposed by Hochul on her first day in office last August.
On his first day in office two weeks ago, Blakeman promised to challenge the mask mandate and this week he tells WCBS 880 In Depth reporter Peter Haskell that “it makes no sense to keep our children masked in school."
Related
He wants to see the science that the govenor is using to keep the mandate in place.
"The fact of the matter is a child in New York State is 100 times more likely to die in a car accident than to die of COVID-19," Blakeman said. "We don’t want any deaths, but there is no guarantees in life for anything we do."
Blakeman lays out his arguments against New York's mask mandate in schools in this week's 880 In Depth and makes no apologies for challenging
Hochul. “You’re saying her authority is unfettered and I am not," he said.
Related
Last week, after Blakeman signed a series of executive orders dropping mask mandates for schools and county workers, Hochul argued state laws trump local ones.
“We have a number of laws in place, that for people who have more experience in county government would know that state government, state laws prevail,” Hochul said.
The governor stressed that the state Education Department also has direct control over funding for schools, including those on Long Island, and implied that schools which defy the mask mandate could have their funding cut, saying, “I hope I don’t have to say anymore on that topic.”
Related
WCBS 880 In Depth also spoke to pediatrician and neonatologist Dr. Shetal Shah who said “masks work” and are effective at preventing transmission of airborne diseases."
Dr. Shah is the immediate past president of the New York Chapter 2 of the American Academy of Pediatrics. He worries that even though we seem to be coming through this latest surge, there could be another one resulting from our February vacation season where kids and families are out and traveling together again.
Related
As for the political battle over masks, Dr. Shah said he has deep concerns that without proper masking in places like schools “... during that time that we don’t wear masks to prevent disease transmission, all we’re going to do is encourage the creation of more and more variants and one of those variants is going to be completely vaccine evasive."
The full discussions with both Dr. Shah and County Executive Blakeman are on this week's 880 In Depth Podcast, available on the Audacy app and wherever you get your podcasts.