Face mask

Masks will no longer be required at New York schools effective Wednesday, March 2.

State Gov. Kathy Hochul made the announcement on Sunday, Feb. 27. The change aligns with new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state trends in COVID-19 positivity and hospitalization rates. 

On Friday, Feb. 25, the CDC recommended that masks not be required in schools in communities designated as low to medium risk for COVID-19. Hochul noted that counties with higher risk can decide to impose their own school mask requirements.

Central Valley CSD’s communities fall under low to medium risk, allowing the district to end the mask requirement effective Wednesday, March 2.

Hochul stated that additional guidance for schools will be finalized between now and Wednesday, Mar. 2. Officials from Central Valley and other school districts in the Herkimer BOCES region will be communicating with state officials and local health officials on questions such as whether masks will still be required in certain school locations such as nurses’ offices.

Although masks are no longer required at schools, school officials respect the choice for anyone to wear a mask in all settings in recognition of the potential risk particularly for those with young children in their homes or immunocompromised individuals.