NY Covid News Superthread

[Adam 373]

20 minutes ago, KarenK said:

Of course, it is up to the local authorities to enforce it.

and of course our local politicians are making hay from it on both sides. if the state says do it, and its is legal, just enforce it! im tired of hearing "We dont have the resources" ( have heard this when lamenting lack of LEO in rural areas) well instead of spending on pay increases, special investigators and FFHC's and studies, hire more damn deputies and officers

That said, Governor could have left out the vax portion and just mandated masks be worn

[MsKreed 1,179]

Like past measures by other politicians, it's absolutely political and not based in science.

On 12/10/2021 at 10:20 AM, TwinTiersLiving said:

"I have warned for weeks that additional steps could be necessary, and now we are at that point based upon three metrics: Increasing cases, reduced hospital capacity, and insufficient vaccination rates in certain areas,"

We still have very little statistical data on how much hospital capacity was affected by the healthcare vaccine mandate (particularly in areas with the "insufficient" rates she cites). 

Then there is this part:

On 12/10/2021 at 10:20 AM, TwinTiersLiving said:

While the percentage of New Yorkers fully vaccinated continues to increase—gaining 2% from Thanksgiving weekend to now—the uptick is not fast enough to completely curb the spread of the virus, particularly among communities with low vaccination coverage. 

We've been told for months that these vaccines were never advertised to prevent infection or spread - they are just designed to reduce severity.  Masks, however, have been associated with reduced spread. So exempting Buffalo Bills games from the mask mandate because they're checking vaccine status is not a scientific decision. 

[Chris 2,161]

2 hours ago, MsKreed said:

So exempting Buffalo Bills games from the mask mandate because they're checking vaccine status is not a scientific decision. 

And that really illustrates how poorly this whole thing has been managed from the very first day. There's little rhyme or reason to mandates and measures taken, and even if there is, they're so poorly communicated or explained it's little wonder people are up in arms about it. 

 

[Kevin 334]

I am curious how it will work in stores like the one my wife works at.

Corporate says they can't make customer wear a mask or deny service for not wearing one.

County says you have wear one or you won't be allowed in to stores. 

[KarenK 383]

25 minutes ago, Kevin said:

I am curious how it will work in stores like the one my wife works at.

Corporate says they can't make customer wear a mask or deny service for not wearing one.

County says you have wear one or you won't be allowed in to stores. 

Which is pretty much how it was before they originally lifted the mandates so nothing is really going to change at all.

The county is stating there is a mask mandate ordered by the state, not that you won't be allowed in stores without one. 

The county was pretty clear that unless the state is sending someone down to enforce it, they will not. The state police also said, "not my job".  There is no longer a rat out your neighbors hotline at the state or county level to my knowledge.  

My guess is every business will put a sign on the door stating masks required and that will that.

Edited December 11, 2021 by KarenK

[MsKreed 1,179]

25 minutes ago, Kevin said:

I am curious how it will work in stores like the one my wife works at.

Corporate says they can't make customer wear a mask or deny service for not wearing one.

County says you have wear one or you won't be allowed in to stores. 

Good question. 

When the County gave the order to close Lowe's last year, it was based on state executive order (like this one).....and before allowing it to re-open, had discussions with Lowe's corporate to gain compliance. So, at that time, it seemed those corporate lawyers conceded that the Governor's EO had to be adhered to. I've not followed any stories since then that would indicate if some challenge elsewhere was upheld by whatever court....like some vaccine mandate challenges have been. 

[MsKreed 1,179]

15 minutes ago, KarenK said:

The county was pretty clear that unless the state is sending someone down to enforce it, they will not. The state police also said, "not my job".  There is no longer a rat out your neighbors hotline at the state or county level to my knowledge. 

Did the county and NYSP make public statements to that effect? If so, then I guess her order is moot unless she deploys the national guard.

I also wasn't paying attention to hear that the snitch-line was cancelled.

[KarenK 383]

20 minutes ago, MsKreed said:

Did the county and NYSP make public statements to that effect? If so, then I guess her order is moot unless she deploys the national guard.

I also wasn't paying attention to hear that the snitch-line was cancelled.

The county exec did a press conference yesterday afternoon.  It's probably on his page. Basically yes that's exactly what he said.  

[KarenK 383]

While the mask mandate asks for enforcement to come from local health departments, both Moss and Buzzetti say there's simply not enough resources. 

"The staff is spread thin, so the question back to the state was, how exactly are we going to enforce - who's going to enforce? and of course they kicked back on, why don't we have the state police do it? the state said no, it's the local health department's responsibility."

https://www.weny.com/story/45423405/chemung-county-executive-chris-moss-remarks-on-new-mask-mandate

[Adam 373]

3 hours ago, Kevin said:

I am curious how it will work in stores like the one my wife works at.

Corporate says they can't make customer wear a mask or deny service for not wearing one.

County says you have wear one or you won't be allowed in to stores. 

my theoretical question to corporate would be "No shirt, no shoes, no service?....if they cite hygiene; well not wearing a proven method of reducing viral transmission is least hygienic

[TTL News 308]

Here is a FAQ Page released by the state.

[TTL News 308]

Yesterday, Steuben County issued the following response to the mask mandate:

Quote

 

Since the issuance of the mask mandate by New York State via a NYSDOH Commissioner’s Determination, announced last Friday and effective today, Steuben County has had multiple conversations with state representatives and our regional partners.

In consultation with Chairman Scott VanEtten, we have communicated to state officials that this mandate would be impossible to enforce in a meaningful way without state agencies taking the lead.  We have our entire Public Health department, employees from other county departments, and dozens of volunteers focused upon contact tracing and vaccination.  Throughout this Delta variant surge, they have been and remain overwhelmed by these tasks and cannot absorb additional duties of mask enforcement.  As such, any complaint received by Steuben County will be forwarded to NYSDOH.

That said, the NYSDOH Commissioner’s Determination is a state requirement, and as such we strongly encourage all of our valued businesses in Steuben County to comply.  COVID is still surging in our communities and our hospitals are still under immense pressure, and the use of masks in indoor settings is a valuable tool to help reduce spread.  Coupled with other prevention strategies, such as getting vaccinated, receiving your booster, and staying home and getting tested when sick, we can reduce spread in Steuben County.

It is vital that we all double-down on these layered prevention strategies, especially during the holiday season when we are gathering with friends and family.

 

 

 

[TTL News 308]

Quote

 

NEW YORK (AP) — New York City Mayor Eric Adams is considering allowing the nation’s largest school district to return to some form of virtual instruction as the city weathers a wave of coronavirus cases, a reversal from his pledge a week ago to keep children in schools.

Adams said at a news conference Thursday that he still believes the safest place for children to be is in school, “but we do have to be honest that there’s a substantial number of children, for whatever reason, parents are not bringing them to school.”

Attendance levels since students returned from winter break have been lower than usual, with anywhere from one-quarter to one-third of students not showing up to class most days.

 

Read the rest here.

[Chris 2,161]

16 hours ago, TwinTiersLiving said:

Adams said at a news conference Thursday that he still believes the safest place for children to be is in school,

That sentence right there frightens me. 

Do we honestly believe that a kid is safer in school than in their own home? And if so, we as a society have some serious work to do. 

[MsKreed 1,179]

44 minutes ago, Chris said:

That sentence right there frightens me. 

Do we honestly believe that a kid is safer in school than in their own home? And if so, we as a society have some serious work to do. 

It's a shame journalists no longer exist who would ask for some clarification. Whatever "dangers" he feels kids are facing in their homes can't be addressed if he can't be bothered to even identify the problem.

Safer from what? 

Covid? Abuse? Choking hazards? 

[TTL News 308]

Quote

 

(CNN)A state judge struck down New York state's mask mandate Monday, ruling the governor and state Department of Health did not have the authority to enact such a mandate without approval from the legislature. 

Despite the ruling, the state Education Department says schools "must continue to follow the mask rule."

"It is SED's understanding that the Department of Health will appeal the Nassau County Supreme Court decision, which will result in an automatic stay that will unambiguously restore the mask rule until such time as an appellate court issues a further ruling," the Education Department said in a statement posted by school districts across the state and shared with CNN affiliate WABC.

The strife marks yet another intrastate conflict between state officials and schools over mask mandates, one of several fault lines in the broad debate about civic obligations and freedoms in the Covid-19 pandemic.

 

Read the rest here.

[KarenK 383]

3 hours ago, TwinTiersLiving said:

Read the rest here.

Interesting.  Didn't the schools have a mask mandate all along? Before Hochuls most recent rule?

[Chris 2,161]

15 minutes ago, KarenK said:

Interesting.  Didn't the schools have a mask mandate all along? Before Hochuls most recent rule?

Yep. 

[Adam 373]

and saw on the noon news a local idiot had himself and his kid in lot at Diven "protesting" he tried sending them in with no masks and they were denied entry(rightly) apparently masks "are killing are kids" and violating "are" rights. Judging by their signs, id say the family needs to mask up and get some education, on many fronts.

 

[Chris 2,161]

I've said it a hundred times and I'm sure I'll say it a hundred more: The kids are fine, it's the parents launching into histrionics over this. 

So who is really causing the "mental health" problems for the kids in all this, hmm?

[Chris 2,161]

Aaaaand it’s back in place:

“After two days of court hearings, a judge ruled the mandate will stay in place at least until the end of the week, so all sides can respond.

On Monday, a judge struck down the mandate, but an appellate court judge on Tuesday put it back temporarily after the state attorney general's office tried to block the new ruling from going into effect, citing "irreparable harms.’”

https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2022/01/24/us/new-york-state-mask-mandate-ruling/index.html

[KarenK 383]

1 hour ago, Chris said:

Aaaaand it’s back in place:

“After two days of court hearings, a judge ruled the mandate will stay in place at least until the end of the week, so all sides can respond.

On Monday, a judge struck down the mandate, but an appellate court judge on Tuesday put it back temporarily after the state attorney general's office tried to block the new ruling from going into effect, citing "irreparable harms.’”

https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2022/01/24/us/new-york-state-mask-mandate-ruling/index.html

Thing is, right from the beginning when Hochul took over she said she had no authority over mask mandates without emergency authority.  I'll dig out the articles if I can find the time but I know it came up a number of times.  The health dept had the authority along with dept of education to mandate for schools but the rest  of us it required legislative emergency order.

That's why I was surprised when she issued that order for the rest of us.  I don't think she legally had authority.  It's separate for the schools though and always has been.

[KarenK 383]

3 hours ago, Chris said:

I've said it a hundred times and I'm sure I'll say it a hundred more: The kids are fine, it's the parents launching into histrionics over this. 

So who is really causing the "mental health" problems for the kids in all this, hmm?

I agree, the kids do seem to be fine but honestly my grands have indicated to me a number of times that they are not enforcing it all that strictly in schools.

[Chris 2,161]

I’m sure it varies from classroom to classroom. My observations have been the kids all have them on when they come out of the buildings. And they always have them on when they’re with me. If I have to wear the damn thing so do they! 😄

[TTL News 308]

Quote

 

Feb 9 (Reuters) - New York Governor Kathy Hochul willon Wednesday announce the end of her state's mask mandate for most indoor public places, The New York Times reported, joining several states due to lift face-covering rules as the latest COVID-19 surge eases.

The Democratic governor intends to let the mask mandate, which has been challenged in court, expire rather than seeking to renew it, the newspaper said, citing three individuals briefed on the move.

It remains unclear whether Hochul's administration would renew or drop a separate compulsory masking rule in New York public schools that is due to lapse in two weeks.

Representatives for the governor did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

 

See the rest here.

Some think it's way past time, while others think mask mandates should remain in place a little while longer. What do you think and why?