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URGENT ACTION ALERT
Last Thursday Governor Cuomo declared an end to the COVID-19 state of emergency.
But at the same time, New York is requiring anyone who is not fully vaccinated, ages two years and older, to wear a mask while in public places if they cannot “socially distance” six feet away from others outside their household. People who violate this order can be fined up to $1,000 dollars for each violation.
Under this regulation, even a person who has had COVID-19 and recovered and now has natural immunity must still wear a mask! No exceptions are made for outdoor activity or anything else. The regulation thus ignores people’s natural immunity and the evidence that outdoor transmission is negligible, if it occurs at all.
The regulation also ignores the fact that those who have been vaccinated can also still contract and pass COVID. According to the CDC, over 4,000 Americans who have been vaccinated have been hospitalized or died from COVID – and that doesn’t include the number of “breakthrough” cases that didn’t result in hospitalization or death (or that simply weren’t reported). If the real concern was transmission, those who think that masking is effective at reducing the spread of COVID would apply the mask mandates to everyone.
This new policy has been implemented to publicly shame those who choose not to take experimental, fast-tracked injections, creating pressure for them to become vaccinated.
Please join us and speak out today against this terrible regulation!
TAKE ACTION
1. Contact your New York State legislators and tell them that this regulation that has no basis in science and should be repealed immediately.
Find your New State Senator: https://www.nysenate.gov/find-my-senator
Find your New York Assembly Member: https://nyassembly.gov/mem/search/
2. Also contact Governor Cuomo, Senate Majority leader Andrea Stewart Cousins, and Speaker Carl Heastie’s offices and leave them messages.
Governor Cuomo’s office: (518) 474-8390 or https://www.governor.ny.gov/content/governor-contact-form
Andrea Stewart Cousins’ office: (518) 455-2415 or https://andreastewartcousins.com/contact/
Carl Heastie’s office: (518) 455-3791 or https://nyassembly.gov/mem/Carl-E-Heastie/contact/
Calls are more effective than emails, and only take a few minutes.
Sample script:
“Hi, my name is ____ and I live in ____ {town}. I am calling to ask (insert name) to repeal the new mask mandate for unvaccinated persons over the age of 2.
This regulation isn’t a sound scientific approach to disease prevention. It ignores the 2 million New Yorkers who have already tested positive for COVID-19 and thus have natural immunity. It also ignores the many breakthrough cases among people who have been vaccinated and who thus also could transmit COVID. And it ignores the lack of data showing that masking is an effective intervention.
In place of sound science, this regulation further divides our community by creating two classes of citizens based on whether they have chosen to take an experimental vaccine. As of June 18th, there have been over 380,000 adverse events and 6,113 deaths in the U.S. reported to the Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System in connection with the COVID vaccine. Yet this regulation would create a significant social stigma and pressure for people who are at very low risk for COVID-19 (such as those who have had it already, teens and young adults) to be vaccinated.
Federal law provides that recipients or users of Emergency Use Authorization products, such as the COVID-19 injections, have the right to accept or refuse use of these products. The State should not stigmatize people for exercising that right.
I urge _____ to do everything in their power to help rescind this discriminatory regulation.”
MORE INFORMATION
Read the regulation here: https://regs.health.ny.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/emergency_regulations/Enforcement%20of%20Social%20Distancing%20Measures_5.pdf
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Hello, every proposed regulation has a public comment period. And it would be especially effective to send a public comment to the person who is listed on the proposed reg to receive these public comments. You can contact the other people too—but the actual measure of public comment for or against this reg is being tabulated by the comments she receives. It is the first step. We have 60 days from when it was published in the register
ContactPerson:
Katherine Ceroalo
NewYorkStateDepartmentofHealth
BureauofProgramCounsel,RegulatoryAffairsUnit
CorningTowerBuilding,Room2438
EmpireStatePlaza
Albany,NewYork12237
(518)473-7488 (518)473-2019(FAX)
REGSQNA@health.ny.gov
You can look up the NY State Register online. Here is part of the info on commenting on proposed rules. Note: it must be in writing.
Be a part of the rule making process!
The public is encouraged to comment on any of the proposed rules appearing in this issue. Comments must be made in writing and must be submitted to the agency that is proposing the rule.
Address your comments to the agency representative whose name and address are printed in the notice of rule making. No special form is required; a handwritten letter will do. Individuals who access the online Register(www.dos.ny.gov) may send public comment via electronic mail to those recipients who provide an e-mail ad-dress in Notices of Proposed Rule Making. This includes Proposed, Emergency Proposed, Revised Proposed and Emergency Revised Proposed rule makings. To be considered, comments should reach the agency before expiration of the public comment period.