Governor Kathy Hochul has expanded on her COVID winter surge plan, extending the state’s mask mandate for businesses to February first, when the surge is expected to be behind us.
Hochul also added a booster mandate for students and staff at all SUNY and CUNY campuses effective January 15. Those eligible must get the shot by then.
Hochul says the reason for this is simple: to avoid another business shutdown across New York.
The state is also trying to get more doses of the new COVID pills, Paxlovid and molnupiravir, but it’s running into roadblocks. Health Commissioner Mary Bassett says the federal government has nearly all the supply because it pre-ordered before the pills were available. So far it’s allocated only about 3,500 doses to New York State.