New York to alter mask guidelines for schools Monday

NYS says it plans to align mask guidelines for schools and youth camps Monday.

TO CREATE A MORE UNIFORMPOLICY ON FACE MASKS ANDCHILDREN.GOOD EVENING.

THE STATE HEALTHDEPARTMENT SENT A LETTER THEC-D-C.

THEY ARE CONCERNEDABOUT DISCREPANCIES INPOLICIES THAT COVER SCHOOLSAND CAMPGROUNDS.

STARTINGMONDAY -- THE SAME POLICY WILLBE IN PLACE FOR BOTH VENUES.ALL STUDENTS -- CAMPERS ANDSTAFF ARE NO LONGER REQUIREDTO WEAR A MASK.

THIS IS TRUEBOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE --WHETHER THEY ARE VACCINATED ORNOT.

THE STATE DOES ALLOWSCHOOLS AND CAMPGROUNDS TO SETTHEIR OWN -- STRICTERPOLICIES.

TONIGHT, GILATMELAMED SHOWS US WHAT PARENTS-- CAMP SITE AND SCHOOLLEADERS THINK OF THE CHANGE.INDOORS& OUTDOORS& VACCINATEDOR UNVACCINATED& NEW YORK ISNOT REQUIRING STUDENTS ANDSTAFF TO WEAR MASKS IN SCHOOL&DISTRICTS CAN HAVE STRICTERREQUIREMENTS... "WE'RE ALWAYSGONNA ENCOURAGE, BUT NOTMANDATE." NIAGARA FALLSSUPERINTENDENT MARK LAURRIESAYS HE'LL MAKE A FINALDECISION AFTER SPEAKING WITHTHE COUNTY'S PUBLIC HEALTHDIRECTOR... "MY INKLING ISTHAT ESPECIALLY WITH THEPROMISE OF VERY WARM WEATHERNEXT WEEK AND TWO SCHOOLS THATARE NOT AIR CONDITIONED THATWE'LL MAKE ALLOWANCES ANDPROVISIONS ESPECIALLY IN THOSEPLACES FOR KIDS TO BECOMFORTABLE." HE SAYS STUDENTVACCINATION STATUS WILL NOTPLAY A ROLE BECAUSE IT'SUNCLEAR HOW MANY AREVACCINATED& "GILAT: WILL THEREBE ANY PARENT INPUT ON THIS&LAURIE: WITH SUCH SHORT TIME,WE'RE TALKING NO MORE THAN TWOWEEKS OF SCHOOL LEFT REALLY, IDON'T KNOW IF IT'S TIME TO GETANY.

WE'LL ALWAYS LISTEN TOPARENTS." THE STATE TEACHER'SUNION CALLS THE END OF YEARANNOUNCEMENT QUOTE "WHIPLASHINDUCING"& AND URGES DISTRICTSTO EVALUATE LOCAL CONDITIONS&THE STATE SAYS THIS PUTSSCHOOL POLICY IS IN LINE WITHCAMP POLICY... CAMPER MASKREQUIREMENTS WERE LIFTED TWOWEEKS AGO& THE CHANGE IS FORUNVACCINATED STAFF& "WITH THATNEW GUIDANCE IF STAFF MEMBERSDO FEEL COMFORTABLE TAKINGTHAT RISK ON THEIR OWN ANDBEING UNMASKED IF THEY AREN'TVACCINATED THEN WE'LL BEFOLLOWING THOSE PROTOCOLS ASWELL." THE NEW GUIDANCE COMESFOLLOWING A PUSH FROM SOMEPOLITICIANS AND PARENTS& "NOMORE MASKS, NO MORE MASKS."NIKKI RONAN SAYS SHE'SCOMFORTABLE WITH OPTIONALMASKS FOR HER CHILDREN WHO AREVACCINATED& BUT NOT FOR HERDAUGHTER IN KINDERGARTEN&"INSIDE I THINK I'D BE REALLYNERVOUS WE SEE THAT'S WHERETRANSMISSIONS HAPPENING FORTHE MOST PART." THE STATESTRONGLY ENCOURAGES PEOPLE WHOARE NOT VACCINATED TO WEARMAKS INDOORS& AND OUTSIDE IFIN A HIGH-RISK CIRCUMSTANCE.GILAT MELAMED, 7EWN.THE SUSPECT IN A DEADLSHOOTING AT A SCRAP YA