Cuomo Mandates COVID Vaccine for All State Employees, Urges, does not yet Require Indoor Masking

     Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s administration is working with the state’s unions to mandate that all state workers get vaccinated, said the governor this morning, who hopes to have New York’s vaccination requirement in place Sept. 6, which is Labor Day.

     The governor’s announcement comes the day after President Joe Biden said he was considering a mandate requiring all federal workers get vaccinated, as the Delta variant surges across the country. 

      “New York will do the same,” said Cuomo, who also backed, although did not yet require, the U.S. Center of Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) new guidance that Americans who live in areas with surging rates of COVID should once again mask indoors. 

     While most of the state’s workers, who refuse vaccination, will have the option to test weekly and mask, Gov. Cuomo said that all patient-facing health care workers at state hospitals will be required to be vaccinated in order to come to work. 

    There will be no alternative testing option for these employees, said Gov. Cuomo, who suggested that all local governments implement a similar vaccination mandate for patient-facing health care workers.

     The governor also said that his administration is reviewing the CDC's new indoor face mask guidance for fully vaccinated people with federal and state health experts. 

    Mayor Bill de Blasio and his top doctors said this morning that they are closely reviewing the new guidance of the CDC, which is releasing more detailed scientific findings today that Mitch Katz, MD, the CEO of the city’s Health + Hospitals, said he will be closely studying to help determine whether the city will once again require New Yorkers to mask. 

    The governor and mayor, who have previously followed the CDC’s recommendations on masking, both said they will provide more detailed information on their guidance on masking in the days to come.

(Kevin P. Coughlin / Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo)