Following the announcement by the Centers for Disease Control that fully vaccinated people no longer need to wear masks or practice physical distancing in the majority of situations, Democratic New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is not ready to give his blessings to the idea.
“In New York, we have always relied on the facts and the science to guide us throughout the worst of this pandemic and in our successful reopening,” he said. “We have received the newly revised guidance from the CDC regarding mask wearing and social distancing for those with vaccinations and are reviewing them in consultation with Dr. Zucker and our partners and health experts in surrounding states.”
“Governor Cuomo’s statement is blatant hypocrisy. In it, he claims to be relying on the science, yet in the same breath, he ignores the science from the CDC—an actual scientific authority,” said Republican State Senator Mike Martucci (R, New Hampton). “Instead, he wants Dr. Zucker — the same guy who signed off on the deadly Nursing Home Order — as well as his handpicked group of yes-men and fellow politicians to conduct their own “review.”
Martucci said Cuomo’s statement “is as disingenuous as his earlier comments boldly claiming that he did ‘nothing wrong’ with respect to the multitude of credible sexual harassment allegations against him. The experts have spoken, and Andrew Cuomo isn’t one of them: the mask mandate is over!”
The new CDC guidance brings with it “another return to normalcy we expected mass vaccinations to bring,” said Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro. “As we continue to see active cases, hospitalizations and deaths steadily dropping day by day, we have undeniable proof that the COVID-19 vaccine works.”
He said over 60 percent of county residents have been vaccinated, “and more continue to sign up for a vaccine every day.”
He urged New York State “to follow the common-sense guidance of the professionals at the CDC who have helped keep us safe for the past 14 months and announce the full re-opening of schools and all restrictions on businesses be lifted.”
