ROCKVILLE CENTRE, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) — As COVID-19 instances in our area start to plateau and decline, controversy is rising on Lengthy Island, the place demonstrators who need no masks or vaccine mandates have been rallying for selection.
The vaxmobile is on website at faculties and universities. Because the spring semester begins, vaccines and boosters at the moment are necessary.
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“Everyone seems to be making an attempt to get again to regular, but it surely’s additionally actually essential that we’re all secure. COVID is definitely unfold. I do know lots of people who’ve died,” Molloy College scholar Georgia Bevolas instructed CBS2’s Jennifer McLogan.
COVID VACCINE
Omicron variant instances are starting to say no in our area. Dr. James Lentini, the president of Molloy Faculty, touts prevention for the college’s low COVID fee.
“We’ve got required the vaccine and the boosters for college kids, school and employees. We expect this works, the masking requirement for indoor areas,” Lentini mentioned.
Lower than seven miles away, the temper shifted. Demonstrators cheered on new Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, exhibiting assist for his opposition to masks mandates.
Blakeman signed a controversial executive order in defiance of the state, allowing Nassau schools to decide.
“Like we’ve mentioned from the start, we’d like selection, and it’s not honest to those kids. These kids are struggling,” Massapequa dad or mum Dana Durso mentioned.
Massapequa was the primary district to vote to halt mask enforcement beginning next month. The Plainedge College District adopted.
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“I don’t just like the masks, personally, like in any respect,” one scholar mentioned.
“I don’t suppose there must be any sort of mandate with telling youngsters what they need to be carrying on their face,” one other added.
CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC
If the state extends its Feb. 15 expiration date requiring masks in colleges, Gov. Kathy Hochul has mentioned she is weighing choices on what to do with districts that don’t comply.
That features maybe withholding funding, and she or he took a jab at Blakeman.
“To Nassau County, Mr. County Government, you’re saying sure to that? All proper, you place in your masks, you may have all the cash you need,” Hochul mentioned.
Well being consultants agree — masks in class is the way in which to go.
“I would definitely encourage from a public well being standpoint carrying masks, and it’ll assist us get out of the pandemic that a lot sooner,” mentioned Dr. Adhi Sharma, president of Mount Sinai South Nassau Hospital.
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He mentioned Omicron is airborne and spreads simply in indoor areas.
