Gov. Cuomo: “If we don’t take the actions schools can become super spreaders in September”

Rochester, New York – After the new mandate for state workers, Governor announced strong hints to schools.

“If the numbers continue to keep going up the way they are going up, I think school districts in these affected areas should strongly consider taking more aggressive action,” he said Wednesday.

The governor is mandating some state employees either get the COVID vaccine or be tested weekly, beginning Labor Day.

The mandate also says state-owned hospitals won’t have a testing option. Workers, there will be required to get a vaccine.

School districts must decide whether to mandate vaccinations for teachers and staff, the governor said.

“If we don’t take the actions schools can become super-spreaders in September, it will happen. We have seen it happen before,” he says. “A school district can say ‘As an employee you have to be vaccinated.'”

So far, no school districts in the Rochester area have announced they will mandate staff vaccinations.

According to the Rochester City School District, vaccines remain optional for employees but it is reviewing the matter.

According to Adam Urbanski, president of the Rochester Teachers Association, requiring either vaccines or weekly testing could be a compromise.

“I respect personal choices but if you will choose to not get vaccinated I think it’s reasonable to require some periodic testing,” he said. “You are making the classroom safer if you have a high concentration of people vaccinated. If you have testing for those who are not vaccinated if you continue the wearing of the mask, and in some instances, even social distancing.”

The governor also urged private businesses help stop the spread of the Delta variant by admitting only vaccinated individuals or offering more incentives for those fully vaccinated.