Hochul issues universal mask-mandate,
teachers must get vaxxed or test out
BY ALEJANDRA
O’CONNNELL-DOMENECH
At her second public appearance as New York
state governor, Kathy Hochul issued a universal
mask-mandate for anyone entering school buildings
and ordered all school personnel to get vaccinated
or undergo weekly COVID-19 testing to
knock down increasing cases of the coronavirus’
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COURIER LIFE, A 14 UG. 27-SEPT. 2, 2021
delta variant.
Hochul was sworn in as New York’s 57th — and
fi rst woman — governor at midnight on Tuesday,
Aug. 24 two weeks after her predecessor former
Gov. Andrew Cuomo resigned in disgrace in the
wake of a bombshell report fi nding that he sexually
harassed 11 women.
During her second address to New Yorkers,
Hochul promised swift action against problems facing
the state, mainly, squashing the spread of the
more aggressive delta variant and increasing vaccination
rates among state residents.
“Priority number one: we get children back to
school and protect the environment so they can
learn and everyone is safe,” said Hochul, adding
that for months she has been consulting with parents,
teachers, superintendents, and school board
members about the upcoming return to classrooms.
“We need to require vaccinations for all school personnel
with the option to test out weekly. At least
for now.”
New York State United Teachers, an umbrella organization
for roughly 900 unions across the state,
seems to be on board with the governor’s school-related
proposals.
“Gov. Kathy Hochul brings a breath of fresh air to
Albany, and she already is taking decisive action to
bolster health and safety in our schools. We support
universal mask-wearing as part of a layered mitigation
strategy that also includes robust COVID testing,
contract tracing, proper ventilation and other
strategies recommended by public health experts,”
said NYSUT President Andy Pallotta. “We also support
the governor’s move to require regular COVID
testing for school staff who are not yet vaccinated.
It’s critical that educators continue to have a voice
in the implementation of vaccine requirements and
other COVID policies at the local level.”
On Monday, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio
announced that all Department of Education employees
including teachers and principals must get
at least one dose of the vaccine by Sept 27, in order
to lower the chances of delta spreading in schools
in the fall. Between 70 and 80% of all New York City
public school teachers and principals have received
at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, according to
City offi cials.
The move placed New York City in the ranks of
Chicago and Los Angeles which have also issued
vaccine mandates for public school staff.
Education
Now-Gov. Kathy Hochul speaks during a news conference
the day after Andrew Cuomo announced his resignation at
the New York State Capitol, in Albany, on Aug. 11, 2021. REUTERS/
Cindy Schultz
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In 2021 our 8th graders
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