New York Gov. Kathy Hochul is standing by her decision to impose mask mandates in all public spaces that do not require vaccination in the state.
According to reports, a New York State Supreme Court judge recently opposed the state's mask mandate saying that the governor and other health officials do not have the power to enforce such rules without the state legislature's approval.
Last month, Hochul announced that masks would be required in public spaces amid a surge of Omicron cases in New York. The mask mandate was scheduled to expire on Feb. 1, but Hochul said she would try to extend it so that more people could be protected from the virus.
"My responsibility as governor is to protect New Yorkers throughout this public health crisis, and these measures help prevent the spread of COVID-19 and save lives. We strongly disagree with this ruling, and we are pursuing every option to reverse this immediately," Hochul said via the Huffington Post.
Judge Thomas Rademaker suggests mask mandates are illegal
However, Judge Thomas Rademaker fired back at Hochul by saying that the power to enforce mask mandates should be in the hands of state lawmakers and not the governor.
But Rademaker acknowledged the fact that there is a good intention behind the mask mandate. However, their decision to have it reversed has to do with the legalities of the matter.
Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, a vocal opponent of mask mandates, called the Supreme Court's decision a major win for students and parents.
He said that the Supreme Court ruled that mask mandates in New York are illegal because the governor and the state education department have no authority to enforce the mandate.
New York school districts still required to enforce mask mandates
But according to ABC 7 NY, school mask mandates will continue even after the Supreme Court's ruling.
In their statement, the Department of Education said that there are conflicting decisions in New York. And until they are resolved and finalized, school mask mandates will still be enforced.
But at least 19 school districts on Long Island have announced that they will start making their masks optional. The districts where masks are mandatory include Jericho, Baldwin, Syosset, and all Catholic schools.
The ruling also appears to be timely because there has reportedly been a massive drop in COVID-19 cases in New York within the past couple of days.
COVID-19 cases in New York dropped
According to NBC New York, net hospitalizations fell to 9,847, which is the lowest number since Jan. 2. The seven-day average positivity rate also dropped 10.5 percent, which is the lowest recorded number since December.
On Saturday, less than 20,000 people tested positive for COVID-19.
According to CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the Omicron wave in New York and the United States followed a similar pattern with that of South Africa, where it was first detected.
The icepick pattern in the two countries featured a rapid spike higher and then a quick drop back to pre-omicron levels.
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