Counties in Mid-Hudson Region Mandates Masks For All Schools

County leaders from the Mid-Hudson Region issued a new mandate that requires students to wear masks at schools and on buses.

On Monday during a COVID-19 update, Westchester County Executive George Latimer confirmed the number of active coronavirus cases in Westchester County is the highest they've been since June.

Over 1,000 Westchester County residents have an active case of COVID-19. The last time the county had over 1,000 active COVID-19 cases was on June 6, according to Latimer.

To try and slow the spread of COVID-19, Latimer issued a mask mandate for all students.

“We now are going to institute a mandate that students, whenever they are in an in-class situation, must wear a mask. And this applies to public schools, parochial school, private schools, charter schools, all across the board," Latimer said during his COVID-19 briefing on Monday. "It is not unique. Orange County and Rockland County have both imposed it more recently.”

Latimer claims he's contacted a number of school districts that support the new mask mandate. Masks must also be worn on school buses. Students can only take masks off during a mandated mask break when eating or drinking, or during strenuous activity.

“What is within the authority of the Westchester County Health Commissioner Dr. Sherlita Amler, she will be doing, which is to issue an order for masks to be worn at all schools in Westchester County,” Latimer added.