Just a short while ago, New York State Governor Kathy Hochul announced that, effective December 13, 2021, masks will be required to be worn in “all indoor public places unless businesses or venues implement a vaccine requirement.” This means that, for any business that does not have a proof of vaccination requirement in place, all of the business’s patrons and employees two years and older must wear a mask at all times while indoors. The announcement also reiterated that unvaccinated individuals are responsible for wearing masks in accordance with CDC guidance and that mask-wearing is strongly recommended in all public indoor settings even when not required.

Violations of this new measure are subject to civil and criminal penalties, including a maximum fine of $1,000 for each violation. The measure will be reassessed by the State on January 15, 2022. We will continue to monitor for further developments.