NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — New York State officials on Friday announced it will drop its indoor mask requirement for students and adults in schools and camps statewide beginning Monday.
According to New York Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker, masks will be “strongly encouraged,” but not required indoors or outdoors, regardless of vaccination status.
He notes that schools and camps, however, will now be subjected to “stricter standards” to ensure risk of transmission is kept low.
Still, the New York State Teacher’s Union called the change “whiplash-inducing news” with just three weeks left to go in the school year.
Dr. Zucker says the rule change is in accordance with guidelines set by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which states masks are not required in camps.
“As many camps take place on school grounds, both serve school-age children, and the end of the school year/start of the camp season both occur in June, New York State plans to align our school and camp mask guidance,” Zucker wrote in a letter to CDC Director Rochelle Walensky.
The state will hold off on implementing the new policy if the CDC raises concerns, the health commissioner said.
“If there is any data or science that you are aware of that contradicts moving forward with this approach, please let me know as soon as possible,” the health commissioner wrote. “We plan to make this guidance effective on Monday, June 7.”
New York City officials have said they will not be adhering to the new guidance set by the state and will continue with its universal mask policy.
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