Statement from Senator Mike Martucci

“On Friday, Commissioner Zucker wrote to the CDC indicating that he was prepared to lift the mask mandate on our school-aged children. On Sunday, the State Department of Education issued guidance to local school districts requiring the mandate to continue. Today, reports indicate that while the CDC has not responded to Commissioner Zucker, it did indicate to reporters that they recommend the mask mandate should continue. Moments ago, Andrew Cuomo – in a reversal from Friday – said masks would still be required inside schools, but he would allow local districts to make their own decisions about outside a school building. How generous of him!

“You have to wonder who is running the Federal and State agencies involved here. Is it Zucker, Fauci and Cuomo or Moe, Larry and Curly? Parents and schoolchildren have been batted around like tennis balls since the Zucker letter was leaked on Friday. Enough. The Cuomo and Biden administrations cannot seem to coordinate responses from their own agencies, let alone effectively advise the rest of us. State and Local governments have the authority to lift mask mandates for our kids. The majority of states ended mask requirements in schools long ago. We should immediately do so now.”

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