NYC schools mask mandates - What parents need to
know now that NJ lifts the school mask mandates
By Barbara Russo
NYC Schools Mask Mandates
What Parents need to
Know Now that NJ Lifts the
School Mask Mandates
New Jersey will no longer
require students and
teachers to wear masks in
schools, Governor Phil Murphy
announced yesterday,
prompting local representatives
to urge state and city
officials to lift New York
school mask mandates.
“Thankfully, we have
reached a point where we feel
confident that we can take
another step toward normalcy
for our kids,” Murphy said.
“Given the continued drop
in new cases and hospitalizations,
projections indicating
a continued decline over
the coming weeks, and the
continued growth of vaccinations
for our school-aged
population, we believe that
we can responsibly end the
universal mask mandate.”
Masks and facial coverings
will no longer be mandated
for students, staff or visitors
in schools and childcare
centers in the state effective
March 7. The governor said
school districts and childcare
facilities can continue
to implement their own policies
after the mandate is
lifted.
New Jersey isn’t the only
metro-area state rescinding
mask mandates in schools.
Connecticut Governor Ned
Lamont also announced
that masks will no longer
be required in schools and
childcare centers as of Feb.
28.
“Connecticut is seeing a
dramatic decline in cases
caused by the Omicron variant,
and children over the age
of 5 have had the ability to
get vaccinated for more than
three months now,” Lamont
said. “With this in mind, I
think we are in a good position
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to phase out the requirement
that masks be worn
in all schools statewide and
shift the determination on
whether to require this to
the local level.”
Local Officials
Pressured to Lift
New York Mask
Mandates
The new policy changes
are prompting local representatives
to urge state and
city officials to lift school
mask mandates in New York.
“With the governor of New
Jersey announcing that he
is removing the mask mandate
for school children in
his state as of mid-March, I
am once again urging New
York state and city leaders to
follow suit and eliminate the
mask mandate for our school
children, and allow parents
to make the choice for their
child,” Vito Fossella, borough
president of Staten Island,
said.
The beep cited the frequenting
of Staten Islanders
to New Jersey where there
are less restrictive measures
for dining, entertainment
and other activities, adding
that they are taking their
spending dollars with them.
“We’ve passed the point
where New York can eliminate
the mandates, make
masks optional and give
our kids back the freedom
to learn, socialize and enjoy
being kids.”
Nassau County Executive
Bruce Blakeman took to twitter
to voice his opinion.
“I guess the Democrats
and “health experts” they
spoke with aren’t advising
the Democratic governors
of New Jersey, Connecticut
and Delaware – ALL of
whom announced plans to
#unmaskourkids today,”
Blakeman wrote. “Where
is Governor Hochul? What
are her metrics? Why is the
Empire State last?”
New York State Governor
Kathy Hochul said she will
assess the situation in the
state and hopes to follow
what New Jersey is doing.
“I’m going to continue to
head in that direction. We’re
hoping to get to that, I’ve
said that for weeks, that is
our goal,” Hochul said. “But
I’m going to continue looking
at the metrics. And the
one thing I’m asking all parents
to do, and the pediatricians
who advise them, let’s
get more children vaccinated
so they have that suit of
armor they need to be protected.”
NYC Mayor Eric Adams
said he wants students to
continue to wear masks and
encourages vaccination.
“I will continue to follow
the science and the guidance
of public health professionals
to keep New Yorkers
safe,” Adams said. “Students
should continue to wear a
mask at school and I encourage
all New Yorkers to get
vaccinated and boosted to
stop the spread.”
Experts Weigh in on
Eliminating Masks
Schools
The debate over masks
in schools has been one of
the many divisive topics
that erupted throughout
the course of the pandemic,
regionally and around the
country.
Some doctors are warning
that ending school mask
mandates will lead to a rise
in COVID cases.
Experts say it is too soon
to end mask mandates in
schools because vaccination
rates are not high enough yet
among the school-age population,
according to an ABC
News report.
“It is not safe at this time
for schools to rescind mask
mandates because even
though we do have decent
levels of vaccination in the
older age groups, as populations
get younger, the proportion
who are vaccinated
gets lower,” Dr. Mercedes
Carnethon, vice chair of the
department of preventive
medicine and a professor of
epidemiology and pulmonary
and critical care at Northwestern
University Feinberg
School of Medicine, told ABC
News.
New York’s mask-wearing
mandate for schools is expiring
on Feb. 21.
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