Kathy Hochul Says She’ll Mandate Masks in Schools, Wants Vaccine Requirements ‘For All School Personnel’ in First Address as NY Governor

Kathy Hochul addressed plans to mandate masks in New York schools in her first address as governor.

Hochul was sworn in at midnight after Andrew Cuomo officially resigned.

In her speech Tuesday, she said, “You may not know me, but I know you. In my travels to all 62 counties every year, I’ve walked your streets, met you at diners, supported your small businesses, listened to farmers, engaged local officials, and worked to revitalize long-neglected downtowns.”

Among the issues she addressed was combatting the spread of the delta variant.

“For months, I’ve been consulting with parents, elected officials, teachers, school boards, and superintendents. As a result, we need to require vaccinations for all school personnel with an option to test out weekly,” she said.

Hochul also said she’s “immediately directing the Department of Health to institute universal masking for anyone entering our schools.”

You can watch above, via News 12 Long Island.