ALBANY, NY (WSKG) - After a weekend of confusion for schoolchildren, their parents and teachers, Gov. Andrew Cuomo clarified changes in mask policy for schools in New York on Monday. He said children don’t have to wear masks outside, but do have to wear them inside.
On Friday afternoon, Cuomo and his health commissioner, Dr. Howard Zucker, took schools by surprise when they released a letter that Zucker wrote to the federal Centers for Disease Control.
In it, Zucker said that beginning Monday, the state would eliminate the requirement that children wear masks in schools to make the policy consistent with summer camp rules that say no masks are required.
Zucker asked the CDC director, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, to let him know as soon as possible if any data or science would contradict the state moving forward with the change.
Otherwise, Zucker wrote, “we plan to make this guidance effective on Monday, June 7."
The announcement began a weekend of confusion and anxiety for school leaders, teachers and parents who said they would have to once again reconfigure classrooms and alter other protocols to comply with the change, and that two days was not enough time.
New York State United Teachers President Andy Pallotta called the announcement “whiplash-inducing news."
Senate Republican Minority Leader Robert Ortt, who agrees with the need to end masks in schools, said the announcement was poorly handled.
“I have received phone calls from superintendents who are in my district who are utterly angry, who are upset, and who are confused,” Ortt said. “They are getting phone calls from parents who are angry and upset and confused.”
The state’s Education Department, which is not part of Cuomo’s administration, on Sunday issued a contradictory order, saying that for now, all students at the state’s public kindergarten through 12th-grade schools must continue to wear masks until the CDC changes its policy.
Cuomo on Monday modified the directive, saying masks will continue to be required inside the classroom, but that students can take them off when they are outdoors. The governor said the CDC agrees with his decision.
“Children wear masks in school, inside," Cuomo said. “There is no mandate for masks outside.”
Individual school districts will still have the final say on whether to continue to require masks outdoors.
Cuomo denied there was ever any uncertainty over the initial order, stating that he never said the policy was changing on Monday.
“There was no confusion with the schools,” Cuomo said. “We never said on Monday anything goes into effect.”
But Zucker’s Friday letter clearly states that the no-mask policy was to begin Monday.
Ortt said his colleagues in the Senate, along with Republicans in the Assembly, will push in the remaining days of the session for a measure to remove the governor’s emergency powers to impose pandemic-related restrictions.
“If there’s ever been an advertisement to remove these powers, it’s been the last 48 to 72 hours,” Ortt said.
Cuomo also said once 70% of all New Yorkers over the age of 18 have received at least one dose of the vaccine, he will lift more pandemic-related restrictions, including capacity limits, social distancing rules, health screenings, and contact tracing requirements.
The unvaccinated will still have to wear masks and practice social distancing. Private businesses will be allowed to continue some restrictions and requirements, like the wearing of face coverings.
Large-scale event venues, schools, public transit, homeless shelters, prisons, nursing homes, and other health care settings must continue the restrictions until more New Yorkers are vaccinated.
Cuomo said as of Sunday, 68.6% of New Yorkers over the age of 18 have received at least one vaccine dose. Zucker predicted that the 70% threshold could come as early as the first week of July.