School districts which had been waiting for state guidance on how to handle opening fall classes with COVID-19 won’t be getting any.
An aide to the governor and the State Health Commissioner both confirmed Thursday that the state won’t issue COVID guidance as it did last year. The state says that’s because the COVID emergency has been lifted in New York, and Governor Andrew Cuomo’s emergency powers have expired.
The Monroe County Council of School Superintendents was one of many groups which had written to the state asking for guidance on vaccination and masking policies, with the start of fall classes just a month away. The council said in a statement that now districts will have to figure that out themselves with the help of their local health departments.
Assemblyman Harry Bronson issued a statement accusing the governor of failing to lead on COVID policy.