New York Governor Issues Mask Mandate for Businesses Without Vaccine Requirements

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul speaks at a signing ceremony of the “Less Is More” act, in New York, on Sept. 17, 2021. Kevin P. Coughlin/Office of the Governor

Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Friday masks will be required in all indoor public places and venues unless those businesses mandate a COVID-19 vaccine requirement.

“We are entering a time of uncertainty,” Hochul, a Democrat, said Friday morning during a news conference in New York City. “We can either plateau here or our cases can escalate beyond control. We are heading in an upward direction that I find is no longer sustainable.”