If you travel to New York state for the holidays, and you’re planning on eating indoors in a public place, you better have a mask handy and put it on because New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced her new mask policy last week as a response to rising levels of Covid-19 and increasing hospitalizations in the Empire State. Since Thanksgiving, New York’s seven-day average Covid case rate rose 43% and hospitalizations increased 29%.
That of course is taking place while Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is encouraging businesses that require staff members to wear masks while patrons roam mask-free, to change their policies and free employees from mask-wearing.
“Let these folks breathe,” DeSantis said at a news conference in Oldsmar Florida. “Let them make their own decisions on this because I think it’s terribly uncomfortable that they’re in this for so many hours a day and I don’t think it’s proven to make a difference.”
New York’s mask mandate will stay that way until Jan. 15, when the Governor re-evaluates the status of COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations.
Masks will need to be worn in all New York indoor places unless businesses or other venues require patrons to show proof of vaccination. The indoor mask requirement applies to all people ages 2 and older – meanwhile, Florida, with one of the lowest positivity rates in the nation, will celebrate the holidays open and with theme parks packed with residents and tourists.
So, which state has the best make policy? What makes the most sense in your opinion>? Let us know in the social media comment area.
