New York to lift statewide school mask mandate by March 2

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has announced that the statewide masking requirement in schools will be lifted by March 2

ALBANY, N.Y. -- New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Sunday that the statewide masking requirement in schools will be lifted by March 2.

In a briefing held in Albany, the Democrat cited declining COVID-19 cases and guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

She said counties and cities could keep their own mandates in place, and parents could still choose to send their kids to school in masks.

The new rules effective Wednesday apply to children 2 years and older in childcare facilities. New York State has 2.7 million schoolchildren, including about 1 million in New York City.