Hospitalizations of COVID-19 patients in New York State have increased 70% since Thanksgiving, Gov. Kathy Hochul said Tuesday, as she asserted that most elected county officials in the state will enforce her new mask or vaccine requirement for indoor public places.
The number of new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people has increased by 58% on a seven-day average since Thanksgiving, Hochul said at a news briefing, explaining why she implemented the mandate, which went into effect Monday.
Long Island’s rate of 67.74 cases per 100,000 people is the third-highest in the state, according to figures the governor showed Tuesday.
The hospitalization figure “was the trigger I needed” for the order, she said. “Look at what’s happened just in that short time.”
Last Friday, when Hochul announced the mandate, hospitalizations had increased 29% since Thanksgiving, she said.
Hochul asserted that county leaders who represent about three-fourths of the state population support the mandate. But more than a half-dozen county executives, along with incoming Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, say they will not enforce it.
Hochul on Monday said the state will not compel counties to enforce the mandate.
Some critics including Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-Glen Cove), who is running against the incumbent in the Democratic primary for governor, accused Hochul of creating chaos and confusion with the rollout of the mandate.
The mandate is to be enforced by local health departments. Violators could face civil and criminal penalties along with fines of up to $1,000 for each violation.
Blakeman on Tuesday repeated that he will direct the county health department and other county officials not to enforce the mask mandate when he takes office.
“As of Jan. 1, I will instruct our health department and other departments to stand down and not enforce the mask mandate and not issue fines,” he said at a news conference.
After speaking with “our health commissioner and health care professionals, I have determined we are not in crisis in Nassau County,” Blakeman said. “I see no reason to have a mask mandate.”
Blakeman said despite Nassau’s rising COVID-19 infection rate, at nearly 6.1% on a seven-day average according to test results reported on Sunday, the county was not facing a bed shortage at hospitals or ICUs as seen in areas upstate and in Western New York.
“The most accurate indicator is how many people are being admitted to the hospital and ICU and right now that is not a concern. That would be the driving factor in changing my opinion and course we should take,” Blakeman said.
“If we get a spike in admissions then you have to reevaluate not only the mask mandate but everything you’re doing,” he added. “At this point we’re concerned, but we’re not in crisis.”
Hochul imposed the mandate amid rising COVID-19 indicators on Long Island and throughout the state.
Nassau and Suffolk are now producing more than 2,000 new cases on some days, and the region’s positivity level on a seven-day average was 6.66% in test results reported on Sunday. As recently as Oct. 28, it was 2.08%.
Check back for updates on this developing story.
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