Six NY county executives call on Cuomo to update state’s mask mandate in line with CDC guidance

Several county executives in New York are calling on the state’s governor, Andrew Cuomo (D), to update his administration’s mask guidance following new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) last week that vaccinated Americans can go maskless in most situations.

The Associated Press reported that top officials from six counties in the state called on Cuomo to update the guidance Sunday in a joint statement.

“New York needs to follow the science-backed guidance of the CDC,” they said. “As we continue to see active cases, hospitalizations and deaths steadily dropping day by day and more people receiving vaccinations, the Governor should implement the CDC’s common sense guidance.”

A spokesperson for the state health department confirmed to the AP in a statement Sunday that the state’s mask guidance was under review.

Currently, state health codes dictate that “any person who is over age two and able to medically tolerate a face-covering shall be required to cover their nose and mouth with a mask or face-covering when in a public place and unable to maintain, or when not maintaining, social distance,” a policy that has been in place since April 2020.

The CDC’s guidance instructs Americans to follow local health code rules when it comes to mask-wearing, even after being vaccinated.

“Fully vaccinated people can resume activities without wearing a mask or physically distancing, except where required by federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules, and regulations, including local business and workplace guidance,” it reads.