TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — The governors of four states have announced plans to lift mask requirements in schools by the end this month or next. The decisions in Oregon, New Jersey, Connecticut and Delaware come as state and local governments nationwide try to figure out which mandates can be eased — and which need to be kept in place. The changes also come amid a growing sense that the coronavirus may never go away — and that Americans need to find a way to coexist with it. Meanwhile, California plans to end its indoor masking rules for vaccinated people next week, though schoolkids will still need to wear masks.
New York has two mask mandates currently in place, one for the general public, the other for schools. The general public mask mandate expires on Thursday, February 10, 2022. The mask mandate for schools expires February 25, 2022. New York State Governor Kathy Hochul, is expected to announce on Wednesday, February 9, 2022 whether or not the mask mandate for the general public will end or be extended.
-With the Associated Press
Photo: FILE – Students line up to enter Christa McAuliffe School in Jersey City, N.J., April 29, 2021. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy will end a statewide mask mandate to protect against COVID-19 in schools and child care centers, his office said Monday, Feb 7, 2022. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)
