By Serach Nissim
Bruce Blakeman, Nassau County Executive-elect, said he will not enforce Gov. Kathy Hochul’s new statewide mask-or-vaccine mandate.
As reported by the NY Post, the incoming Republican, who will take over as Nassau County Executive on Jan. 1, is part of the mounting group of county officials opposed to the recent mandate. “Come January 1st, my administration will move Nassau forward with a common sense approach that acknowledges the facts, science and progress made by our residents while also protecting businesses and jobs from any further damage created by government mandates,” Blakeman said in a statement on Monday. “Nassau County is not in crisis, and should not be painted with the same broad brush as the rest of the state. Ninety-seven percent of adults in Nassau County have received at least their first dose of the vaccine and Nassau hospitals have adequate capacity to handle existing demand.” In the meanwhile, current Democratic County Executive, Laura Curran, will try to enforce the mandate.
Gov. Hochul’s statewide mandate, which went into effect on Monday, requires all private employees and customers to wear masks in public indoor spaces, unless they are required by the establishment to show proof of vaccination against COVID-19. The governor set a max $1,000 fine per violation for offending businesses, adding there could also be civil and criminal penalties too. Hochul has said the new law is necessary due to the increased number of cases of the virus upstate, threatening to overwhelm hospitals.
Hochul said it’s up to local governments to enforce the mandate. “Some county executives have asked us to do this. So they have what I would call air cover something there. I’ve had calls from even in some of the more rural areas where they’re grateful that we did this so they can explain it,” said Hochul Monday at a press conference in Manhattan. “We have left this to the counties to enforce,” she said, adding: “We hope that counties will enforce it.”
Since the announcement on Friday, however, already close to a dozen county authorities have said they either can’t or won’t enforce the rule, as per the Post. “From a practical perspective, the State’s newest mandate is unenforceable and will become confrontational – and they know it,” tweeted Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro (R) on Sunday.
In the meantime, Mayor Bill de Blasio is preparing the city for its own vaccine mandate, which would require all private employees to show proof of vaccination. The mandate takes effect Dec. 27, just days before Mayor-elect Eric Adams will take over.
