
New York governor Kathy Hochul issued a mandate on Wednesday requiring both staff and visitors to wear masks inside the child-care centers.
The Democratic governor explained her mandate intends to protect children from COVID-19 infection especially that there is no vaccine for children under 12 years old.
A similar mandate has already been issued requiring individuals to wear masks in schools, correctional facilities, homeless shelters, transportation hubs, and certain healthcare settings like hospitals.
The mask mandate in schools has been criticized by a few school districts in New York since it violates their parental rights.
But Hochul has defended her administration’s decision to require masks at schools statewide by arguing that state government has always had the authority to take sweeping steps needed to address a pandemic.
Hochul said her mask mandates can keep kids in schools five days a week.
Hochul added that mask mandates could be eased once infection rates decline and kids can get vaccinated.

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