LOCKPORT, N.Y. — On Thursday, leaders from the Niagara County Legislature issued a statement calling for the state to make schools mask-optional.
A joint statement from the Majority Leader Randy Bradt and Minority Leader Chris Robins cited low case rates in Niagara County as a reason to make the change.
Data from the state showed Niagara County has the lowest seven day average in the Western New York region at 19.1 per 100,000. Currently, Niagara County has a 5% test positivity rate for the last seven days, which is the lowest in Western New York.
Last week, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the statewide indoor mask mandate was being lifted after declining cases following the omicron surge. However, she was holding off on lifting the mask mandate for schools.
Hochul said she wants to see where things stand on March 1 with case counts and with testing after the weeklong winter break that some districts have scheduled.
Hochul replied to one reporter's question and noted that it's a distinct possibility that on March 7 the mask mandate could be lifted if cases continue to go down.
Read the full statement from Niagara County Legislature below:
“Today, Niagara County has both the lowest daily average and seven-day average of COVID-19 cases in Western New York, and the third lowest daily average in New York State. While it has taken some time to come down from the peak of Omicron cases in early January, clearly we are in a much better position. We thank the public for all of their patience amid growing frustration and a sentiment that it is time to get things as close as possible to back to normal.
“That is why we have come together in a bipartisan manner to call on the state to end the mask mandate in schools. More than 40 states across the country have either no mask mandate in schools or have established a date certain to do so. Those states show that universal masking is not the only way to keep our students and staff safe.
“Rather than a mandate, schools should be mask-optional, so a parent is empowered to make a decision that they feel is in the best interest of their child. If the state chooses to allow each county to make its own decision, Niagara County would not continue the mask mandate in schools.”
