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New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced that the Public Health and Health Planning Council passed an emergency regulation and a determination was issued requiring all teachers, administrators, and other school employees to submit to weekly COVID-19 testing unless they show proof of vaccination.
The emergency regulation authorizes the state Health Commissioner to require weekly testing or proof of vaccine in all New York school districts “until it is no longer necessary.”
Schools will be required to have the capacity to offer screening for teachers and staff at least once a week, as well as the capacity to provide testing for any student, teacher, or staff member who is symptomatic or has been exposed to someone infected with COVID-19
“We need to get all of our children back in schools and in a safe environment which promotes healthy learning,” Commissioner Howard Zucker stated.
“While we continue to work with local school districts and local health departments, we listened to feedback from parents, teachers, and education advocates who asked for additional statewide guidance on masks, vaccines, social distancing, and testing and for recommendations on challenges like school bus safety and navigating high-risk sports and extracurricular activities."
Additionally, officials are recommending that all K-12 schools maintain at least three feet of distance between students as they return to the classroom masked up.
Masks will be required in all indoor settings, including sports and extracurricular activities.
For indoor sports and extracurricular activities in which masking is not possible, such as swimming, a minimum distance of six feet must be maintained. Schools are also being encouraged to implement required screening testing for participants who are not fully vaccinated.
Complete guidance from the state can be found here.
“My top priority is to get children back to school and protect the environment so they can learn, and everyone is safe," Hochul stated. "On day one of my administration, I announced a series of bold back-to-school initiatives, including a universal mask requirement for anyone entering our schools.
“We are now issuing guidance to make sure our school staff are vaccinated or tested regularly for themselves and their families, our students, and our communities,” she added. “Our children deserve to be safe and protected in schools, and I am doing everything in my power to guarantee that."
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