JIMMIE JOHNSON: IN AN EFFORT TO SLOW THE SURGE IN COVID-19 CASES, NEW YORK GOVERNOR KATHY HOCHUL IMPOSED A STATEWIDE INDOOR MASK MANDATE. 

HOCHUL’S PATIENCE FOR UNVACCINATED NEW YORKERS HAS RUN ITS COURSE.  

GOV. KATHY HOCHUL: ”the rest of the state now has a wake-up call. I’ve been warning, I’ve been saying if we can’t get more people vaccinated or boosted. I have to protect people, but also the economy.” 

JIMMIE: THE MASK MANDATE APPLIES TO ALL SHOPS, RESTAURANTS, VENUES, HOUSES OF WORSHIP, AND OFFICE BUILDINGS. 

BUSINESSES ARE REQUIRED TO CHECK A CUSTOMER’S VAXX CARD OR THE CUSTOMER MUST MASK UP INSIDE. BUSINESSES THAT FAIL TO COMPLY CAN BE FINED UP TO ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS. 

THE MANDATE COMES ON THE ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE FIRST VACCINATION IN NEW YORK, AND AS COVID CASES CONTINUE TO CLIMB. HOCHUL CITED A 58-PERCENT INCREASE IN CASES SINCE THANKSGIVING.

THE GOVERNOR’S MANDATE IS RECEIVING MIXED REACTIONS: 

USER @SGTPEPPER1964 SAYING, “AND I THOUGHT @ANDREWCUOMO WAS BAD. YOU’RE BETTER OFF WITH THE DEVIL THAT YOU KNOW THAN THE devil that you don’t know.”

HER REPUBLICAN CHALLENGER FOR GOVERNOR LEE ZELDIN HAD THIS TO SAY. 

REP. LEE ZELDIN: ”A statewide mask mandate is not going to increase the amount of people that are going to go out and get vaccinated, because one of the reasons why people were getting vaccinated is because they want to go back to living their lives normally.”> 

JIMMIE: IN THE WAKE OF THE ANDREW CUOMO SCANDAL, I DID A REPORT HIGHLIGHTING KATHY HOCHUL’S RISE IN NEW YORK POLITICS.