Inside Gov. Hochul’s Decision to Lift ‘Mask or Vax’ Rule in New York
The New York Times
Gov. Kathy Hochul’s announcement, expected on Wednesday, comes after she has been satisfied with trend lines on hospital capacity and positivity rates.
ALBANY, N.Y. — As the highly contagious Omicron variant of the coronavirus fueled a sudden surge in cases in mid-December, Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York moved aggressively to try to blunt its rapid spread.
She imposed a mask-or-vaccine mandate, requiring businesses to ask for proof of full vaccination or require mask wearing at all times.
The mandate was implemented with little controversy in places like New York City, which already had stringent mask rules. But it also became a political quagmire for Ms. Hochul, drawing legal challenges, refusals to enforce the rule in conservative corners of the state and criticism from one of her Democratic primary rivals.
