BUFFALO (WBEN) - In the state's coronavirus school plan, it is left up to individual districts to determine whether or not children need to wear masks.
However, that policy is changing, according to a conference call with Governor Cuomo Wednesday afternoon.
"It will be up to the county government, it will be up to city government if they want to impose a mask mandate upon students in their schools, so we're going to do that," said Cuomo.
Cuomo said it was a conversation with Westchester County Executive George Latimer where Latimer asked if counties could impose a mask mandate on students within the county.
"I agreed," said Cuomo. "I think the county executive is right - his point is that if you see numbers go up, not as bad in Westchester as in other parts, but he wants to have his county department of health impose a mask mandate on schools within the county, and the state will allow county governments, city governments to impose a mask mandate."
Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz on Wednesday said he will require that all people wear masks in schools. Most schools currently have a policy that requires mask wearing.
Poloncarz expects to issue the order on masks by Monday.
"There seems to be some issues with private schools," Poloncarz said. "Is our intention to do that? Within reason. We're going to talk to the superintendents and we're probably going to mandate what's already being followed."
Poloncarz said the department of health confirmed instances where masks weren't being worn in a school and warned private and public schools that they could be shut down if they do not comply with the mandate. He declined to specify which schools did not have people wearing masks.
Many schools currently give kids a "mask break". Whether or not that continues under the county is still to be determined
