UPDATE: NY Governor Kathy Hochul said on CNN last night that she is considering a ban on masks.

This is absolutely shameful! New York has suffered so much from COVID, and COVID is not over. We should be normalizing and depoliticizing masks, not banning them.

Source: https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/icymi-audio-rush-transcript-governor-hochul-guest-cnn-laura-coates

ICYMI: Audio & Rush Transcript: Governor Hochul is a Guest on CNN with Laura Coates

Last night, Governor Hochul was a guest on CNN with Laura Coates.

Governor Kathy Hochul
Pre-pandemic laws banning masks from group events were always harmful. We should have learned from the pandemic that we need to do more to normalize public health tools like masks. After seeing so much death and harm that is continuing, it makes no sense to roll back mask laws.
@luckytran They are doing it because masks remind everyone that COVID is still here. That makes people want to hurry up with their shopping and go home, rather than lingering and spending more money. The robber barons don't like that, so they made it illegal.
@andytiedye @luckytran I think thatโ€™s a side effect. The main goal is to enable mass surveillance of everyone at all times through facial recognition. It canโ€™t be long until they go out in the open with a social credit system that blacklists people who attend anti-fascist or environmental protests, LGBTQ+ events, performances by controversial artists, etc. from accessing jobs, housing, and basic services.
@luckytran Those tanking commercial real estate portfolios ๐Ÿ“‰๐Ÿ”ฝโฌ are doing the talking.