Mary Bassett

Gov. Kathy Hochul said Monday that COVID-19 rules will be eased for New York’s schoolchildren this year, and masks and social distancing will no longer be required.

Gov. Kathy Hochul said masks will not be required in schools this year, but New York is stockpiling rapid tests and personal protective equipment in anticipation of yet another potential surge of COVID-19 as the fall gets under way.

New York state’s health commissioner, Dr. Mary Bassett, said Tuesday that monkeypox continues to spread, and people should be aware of the risk and how to access the limited supply of vaccines.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said Wednesday that the state is prepping for a possible new surge of COVID-19 this fall, but she said no rules like indoor masking are anticipated right now.

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that people in 46 of New York’s 62 counties wear masks in public indoor settings because omicron variants are surging. You can check your county here.

A rally in downtown Rochester on Saturday in support of abortion rights drew hundreds of people to Parcel 5 including a number of state and local officials, including New York State Health Commissioner, Dr. Mary Bassett.

Gov. Kathy Hochul says the COVID-19 Omicron subvariant BA.2 is showing up in testing for the virus in New York, but she says, so far, it is not spreading as fast as it has in other European countries and the United Kingdom.

Gov. Kathy Hochul said she will make an announcement on Wednesday regarding the state’s mask mandates for businesses, which includes regulations for offices, shops, restaurants and entertainment venues.

The directive in question was issued by the Cuomo administration by former State Health Commissioner Howard Zucker in March 2020.

The state Senate on Thursday confirmed Gov. Kathy Hochul's choice of Dr. Mary Bassett as New York state’s new health commissioner. She replaces the controversial Dr. Howard Zucker, who left three months after former Gov. Andrew Cuomo resigned.