ALBANY, N.Y. — New York Gov. Kathy Hochul on Friday announced that she was instituting a statewide mask mandate for all businesses and venues in her state, effective Dec. 13

Under Hochul's order, businesses that require proof of vaccination to enter are exempt from the mandate. The policy applies to anyone ages two years old and older, any time they are indoors at a business or venue.

The mandate will remain in effect until Jan. 15, when the state will re-evaluate the situation based on COVID-19 data.

"As Governor, my two top priorities are to protect the health of New Yorkers and to protect the health of our economy," Hochul said in a statement. "The temporary measures I am taking today will help accomplish this through the holiday season. We shouldn't have reached the point where we are confronted with a winter surge, especially with the vaccine at our disposal, and I share many New Yorkers' frustration that we are not past this pandemic yet."

Hochul also thanked the 80% of New Yorkers who are currently fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

"If others will follow suit, these measures will no longer be necessary," her statement read.

Hochul's office cited increases in both the seven-day average case rate (up 43%) and hospitalizations (up 29%) for the new policy.

The state's mask policies remain unchanged for schools, public transit, homeless shelters, correctional facilities, nursing homes and health care settings.

This story was originally published by August Erbacher on Scripps station WKBW in Buffalo, New York.

COVINGTON, Ky. — Kentucky's Supreme Court stopped two lower courts Friday from nullifying Gov. Andy Beshear's pandemic executive orders for now.

At a hearing that took up most of Thursday, Attorney General Daniel Cameron asked the Boone County Circuit Court for a temporary injunction on Beshear’s executive actions during the pandemic, including his latest order on masks in public. A Scott County court had already granted a similar injunction.

The court granted the injunction late Thursday to allow daycare ratios to increase from 10 children to 15 for every teacher, and for restaurants to allow social distancing at 3 feet back-to-back.

But both injunctions were stayed Friday by an order from the Kentucky Supreme Court, which means all of the executive orders, including Beshear's mask mandate, will stay in effect.

"Given the need for a clear and consistent statewide public health policy and recognizing that the Kentucky legislature has expressly given the Governor broad executive powers in a public health emergency, the Court orders a stay of all orders of injunctive relief until such time as the various orders are properly before the Court with a full record of any evidence and pleadings considered by the lower courts," the order reads.

Cameron's challenge would have allowed restaurants to distance tables only three feet apart if guests sat back-to-back, but some restaurant owners in Covington were not totally comfortable with the idea. Now, they are relying on city programs to help expand outdoor seating into the streets to be able to serve more customers.

Starting Friday, the parking area on Seventh Street in Covington’s Duveneck Square will be shut down every night from 6 - 11 p.m. so nearby restaurants nearby can set up tables and chairs as a way to make up for the 50% capacity limit and social distancing orders for indoor dining in Kentucky. Similarly, Roebling Point will be closed to traffic to provide more space for properly-distanced outdoor dining.

Bill Whitlow, owner and general manager of Rich’s Proper Food and Drink, welcomes the extra outdoor space since it means he can bring back extra staff.

“This area has been growing massively, so I think people are going to continue to come down here as they continue to feel comfortable, and with more tables we’ll have more reception,” he said.

Whitlow’s main goal is making sure customers feel comfortable enough to come out and dine.

“They ask about spacing. They call and ask what precautions we’re taking. People are scared, but people want to get out and normalize,” he said.

That’s why Whitlow said even if the challenge to the governor’s order is soon upheld, he’s not going to change a thing about the precautions at his restaurant unless he’s sure it is safe.

“So we’re going to continue to wear our masks,” he said. “We’re going to continue to have spacing six feet between tables.”

Josh Rhodes, project manager for Recover Covington, said the “out of the box” idea is all about the economic survival of these local businesses.

“Restaurants are pretty excited to have the additional space,” Rhodes said. “This is all about their survival.”

Read the Kentucky Supreme Court's Friday order in the viewer below:

WAUKESHA, Wis. —

A mother is suing a Wisconsin school district after she said her son contracted COVID-19 from a classmate.

Shannon Jensen filed the lawsuit in federal court on Oct. 5 against the Waukesha School District and school board.

Jensen is seeking an injunction ordering the district to comply with U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19 guidelines.

According to the lawsuit, the board in May removed a student face mask requirement and other COVID-19 mitigation measures.

The lawsuit said one of Jensen's son's classmates came to Rose Glen Elementary School with symptoms in September and didn't wear a mask.

Jensen's son was seated next to the sick student and was wearing a mask but still became infected.

Her other two sons later tested positive as well.

The lawsuit said the district threw her son and other students "...into the COVID-19 'snake pit' by its 'reckless refusal to implement reasonable COVID-19 mitigation measures.'"

The lawsuit requests Class Action status for the case, which could extend any ruling to school districts across Wisconsin.

"There are a lot of parents out there who aren't able to bring a suit within their own school district but are frustrated with their school boards listening, you know, to just the loudest people in the room, and not necessarily taking the recommendation of the experts into consideration at all," said lawyer Frederick Melms, who represents Jensen in the case.

The suit does not seek monetary damages.

School Board President Joseph Como declined to comment on the lawsuit.

The Minocqua Brewing Company Super PAC is funding the lawsuit. The brewing company is owned by Kirk Bangstad, who has aired his frustrations about how former President Donald Trump's administration responded to the pandemic.

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky lawmakers grabbed the quarterback role to direct the response to COVID-19, but when it came time to lead, the GOP-led legislature “punted” the decision on mask-wearing in schools to local boards, Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear said Friday.

A day after a special legislative session ended, Beshear gave a blistering response to the legislature’s decision to halt statewide mask mandates to combat Kentucky’s worst surge of the coronavirus pandemic. He declared that the legislature “owns this pandemic moving forward.”

The legislature passed bills Thursday that scrapped a statewide mask mandate for public schools and imposed a ban on any statewide mask rules until June 2023. Beshear vetoed the mask-related language, but Republican lawmakers overrode him before ending their three-day session.

Beshear used the football analogy to slam the legislature’s actions, especially in nullifying the state school board’s requirement that anyone in public K-12 schools wear a mask. The Republican-backed measure shifted masking decisions to local school boards.

“The masking decision the General Assembly made was wrong. And it was also a punt,” Beshear told reporters. “I’ve been willing to make the calls, to take the hits, to make the plays. And the legislature asked to go in ... at QB. And what did they do? They punted on first down. When you’re in charge, it means you’ve got to make the decision. This one was to push the decision to others.”

The governor said he would have ordered mask-wearing in indoor public places if he still had the authority to do so. The special session marked a power shift in the state’s response to the virus.

Republican lawmakers asserted their new dominance in setting Kentucky’s pandemic policies — the result of a state Supreme Court ruling last month. The court cleared the way for GOP-backed laws to take effect, limiting the governor’s emergency powers to impose virus restrictions. The governor responded by calling the legislature into session.

Before the court ruling, Beshear acted unilaterally in setting statewide virus policies, saying his actions saved lives. Republicans branded his actions as overly broad and stringent.

Supporters of ending the statewide school mask requirement said those decisions are best left to local school boards, to reflect the will of their communities. They said they have confidence in the ability of local school leaders to set those rules.

Beshear said Friday the ban on blanket masking requirements comes at a dangerous time, as the delta variant puts record numbers of virus patients in Kentucky hospitals and intensive care units.

Asked what his message would be to school districts, the governor made the case for local masking requirements. It’s the “best way” to keep children learning in classrooms, he said.

“There is only one decision, one right answer, where you don’t endanger children and your entire community,” he said. “This thing is burning through Kentucky like nothing that we have ever seen.”

Many lawmakers weren’t wearing masks when they voted to block statewide masking rules — which the governor noted at his news conference Friday.

“You can’t say you’re pro-mask while refusing to wear one in a crowded room,” he said.

Beshear praised other actions taken during the special session, including the extension of the pandemic-related state of emergency. That continues a number of actions taken by the governor to combat COVID-19. Examples include waiving licensing requirements for out-of-state medical providers and preventing price gouging.

The legislature also passed a measure to appropriate more than $69 million in federal funds for pandemic-related efforts. The funds are aimed at increasing COVID-19 testing for health care providers, schools, health departments and correctional facilities.

And lawmakers voted to tap into budget reserves to offer lucrative incentives to try to land economic development projects topping $2 billion. Beshear, who requested the measure, has said the state is pursuing at least five projects of that magnitude.

Samantha Schuster thinks they are heading toward a breaking point at West Clermont Middle School.

"I appreciate them trying to give the kids the freedom to choose themselves," Schuster said. "That is good. But as a parent, that's kind of disturbing when you have a 10-year-old having panic attacks."

Four days into sixth grade, her daughter, Autumn Schuster, went home healthy, only quarantined because she was near another student confirmed to have caught coronavirus.

"She did not have, like, any anxiety issues until last year, when remote learning started and it was just because things she didn't understand," Samantha Schuster said.

When her school finally allowed Autumn Schuster back into class, it sent a letter home to parents. It told everyone on campus to stay home for remote learning Friday and Monday because too many staff members were out.

The absences were despite layers of on-campus protection, including recommendations that students and staff wear masks. School administrators said they see "evidence of school-related" spread.

In two weeks, the school had 44 students and eight staff members test positive for COVID-19 and 650 children forced to stay home 10 days like Schuster.

The situation is a challenge similar to others around the state.

"What we're hearing is what one might expect we would be hearing," said Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff, director of the Ohio Department of Health.

Vanderhoff said districts that began the year with optional masking are changing policy because of the number of people missing class due to quarantines.

​It happened at Poland Schools in Youngstown, Ohio, and at Kings Local Schools in Warren County.

RELATED: Kings Local Schools votes to require masks for Pre-K through 6th-grade students

"We really need to think back to basics," said Dr. Joseph Gaspaldo, the medical director of infectious diseases for the Ohio Health Department. "There is no physiological harm for a child to wear a mask. I actually think it's going to be more harmful for them to have remote learning, or, God forbid, they require a hospitalization of COVID-19."

West Clermont school administrators agree and are grappling with ideas to keep kids learning on campus.

It is why Schuster thinks a mask mandate is only a matter of time.

"It might not be such a bad idea to put that in place and see what happens," Schuster said.

While that is not a decision currently being weighed in West Clermont schools, the superintendent is having routine talks with Clermont and Hamilton county health leaders to try to find a strategy that works.

LOS ANGELES COUNTY, Calif. —

All eligible students attending Los Angeles Unified public schools — the nation's second-largest school district — will be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 by the end of the calendar year, the board of education voted.

Related video above: Over 250,000 children test positive for COVID-19 amid back-to-school season

In a special meeting held Thursday, the Los Angeles Unified School Board decided by unanimous vote that a mandate was appropriate based on the sudden surge of the virus brought about by the delta variant and data showing lower rates of infection and hospitalization among those who are vaccinated.

The proposal approved Thursday requires all eligible students 12 years of age and older to receive their first COVID-19 vaccine doses by no later than Nov. 21, and to be fully vaccinated by Dec. 19. Students who participate in in-person extracurricular activities, including sports, face an earlier deadline of Oct. 3 for a first dose of the vaccine and a second dose no later than Oct. 31.

The district, which includes more than 600,000 students, already mandates the vaccine for teachers and staff, requires face coverings be worn by all, and tests all students and staff for infections weekly. Classrooms have also been outfitted with enhanced ventilation systems in an effort to decrease the spread of the virus.

District spokesperson Shannon Haber was not able to provide the number of students affected by Thursday's decision, but noted that many students have already been inoculated.

The mandate will apply to all vaccine-eligible students who are attending school in person and would allow those with "qualified and approved exemptions" to opt-out, though the conditions weren't specified.

Students who decline the vaccine and have no exemptions can participate in the online Independent Study Program. About 15,000 students are currently enrolled in the remote learning program, according to board member Tanya Ortiz Franklin.

During the meeting, Interim Superintendent Megan Reilly framed the vaccine requirement as the best way to ensure children can reap the benefits of learning in person.

"As the second-largest district in the country, with a richly diverse student population, we know the impact and experiences of COVID-19 are varied amongst our students and our families, and that there are different levels of comfort and discomfort with the vaccine and other COVID-related safety measures," Reilly said.

"Along with these truths, our charge remains clear: to provide students with the best education possible, which includes the many benefits of in-person learning," she said.

Dr. Richard Pan, a state senator, pediatrician and district parent, advocated for the measure, pushing for "community immunity" to protect the kids that are too young to be eligible for the vaccine. He praised LAUSD for "leading the way" and "following the science to ensure schools are safe."

While some parents spoke in favor of the mandate, others angrily denounced the proposal.

"We must be the ones who decide for our children, not the district, not anyone else," admonished parent Carla Franca. "If you want to take your own children to the killing fields, you do it, but you are not the one who should be deciding," she said. "When you have your own kids, you can make your own crazy decisions."

School board member Nick Melvoin urged the board to support the mandate to return kids to a sense of normalcy, limiting the possibility of closing schools to in-person learning again, as some schools have been forced to do in areas with a low vaccination rate.

"It is our moral, ethical, political — pick a word — it's our responsibility to protect the children under 12 that cannot get protected any other way," said board member Jackie Goldberg, who spoke in favor of the measure, urging all other members to support the proposal as well.

"Political science is not medical science," added board member George McKenna. "It would be a mistake not to trust the medical science at this point because the alternative is to do nothing."

LAUSD, which began school on Aug. 16, is the first major school district in the United States to mandate COVID-19 vaccines for its eligible students. A smaller district in Los Angeles County, Culver City Unified School District, announced in August it planned to require eligible students to be vaccinated by mid-November.

"We imagine by second semester, our middle school and high school campuses will be absolutely even safer than they are today," LAUSD school board member Tanya Ortiz Franklin told CNN's John Berman on Thursday morning.

LAUSD estimates at least 150,000 doses will need to be administered, Franklin said, but Los Angeles County has the doses and the capability to undertake this effort.

The district is "trying to do everything we possibly can to keep our schools safe," Franklin said, including instituting mask-wearing, testing and upgrading schools' air filtration systems.

"Cases are on the rise and children are at risk from the delta variant in ways we didn't see last semester," she said, "and our responsibility to children and our communities is their safety and well-being."

The vaccine by Pfizer/BioNTech is the only one available in the U.S. authorized for emergency use for children between 12 and 15, though the vaccine has received full approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for people 16 and older.

But that's not an issue for the LAUSD school board, Franklin told CNN, saying, "We understand the benefits far outweigh the risks, and so the emergency authorization really isn't weighing into our decision."

"It is about the access," she added, "and that we can provide it in this country to our children, and we want to do that as quickly as possible."

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki praised the move Thursday, telling CNN, "Good for them."

But she also said it was important everyone around students were also inoculated to protect students under 12 who remain ineligible for vaccines.

Some of the first executive orders signed by President Joe Biden are directives requiring masks to slow the spread of the coronavirus in this country. The orders, one about federal property and one about travel, are limited to locations and people the Biden administration has control over.

In addition, Biden is urging all Americans to wear face coverings for 100 days, with the idea being a concentrated effort for this long could help contain the spread of the coronavirus as vaccination efforts are ramping up.

Here is a look at how Americans may be impacted by the new executive orders:

Domestic travel

There is now a federal mask requirement that applies to airports, planes, ships, and many intercity buses, trains and public transportation.

Although airlines, Amtrak, and other modes of transportation already had individual or regional mask requirements, the executive order makes it a federal level requirement and helps backstop any wiggle room on the local level.

There are still unanswered questions about how this order will be enforced, and which modes of transportation, exactly, are covered.

International travel

Travelers coming to the U.S. from another country must show a negative COVID-19 test before heading to this country, and then quarantine upon arrival.

Federal property

Masks and social distancing efforts are now required on all federal property and federal lands. This includes places like federal courthouses, FBI or other federal agency buildings both in D.C. and around the country, and national parks and forests.

While regional or statewide mask mandates have informed local decisions at these locations, the federal level mask requirement helps ensure consistency of requirements on federal property.

Federal employees

All federal employees and contractors are required to wear masks while on federal property or otherwise on-the-job.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear asked a judge Friday to dissolve a temporary restraining order against his executive order compelling all school districts — both public and private — to mandate masks in their buildings, the latest chapter in an ongoing back-and-forth over whether students should be required to cover their faces in the classroom.

The restraining order came after a group of parents with children attending Diocese of Covington schools petitioned the court to issue an injunction.

"My son came home, and he was kind of beside himself," said Brandon Voelker, an attorney whose son attends Saint Joseph School in Cold Spring. "He had struggled during the day with his mask and a teacher getting on him."

Voelker said the governor's order created confusion among parents after the diocese had already established that masks would be recommended but not mandatory throughout its schools.

The decision to file for the injunction, he said, was born out of that confusion.

"It was more a parental choice, that the parents were told something, and we're hoping that would've been followed," he said.

After a judge granted the group the temporary restraining order, stating that Beshear could not apply the order to private school districts like the diocese, Beshear's administration quickly contested.

According to Beshear's office, the injunction "threatens the public health and safety in the face of the skyrocketing cases of COVID-19 and its highly contagious delta variant."

Jason Glass, commissioner of education for the commonwealth, said Beshear signed the order to protect students from getting sick.

"Right now, my values and priorities are around protecting the health of our students," he said.

Despite the judge's ruling, Glass said, the order still applies to the state's public school districts.

"Today is no different than earlier this week," he said, adding that — in addition to Beshear's executive order, which will expire in 30 days unless he signs an extension — the Kentucky Board of Education last week passed an emergency regulation mandating that all public school districts require masks indoors.

"No one wants to be doing this any longer than we have to," Glass said. "And the fastest way that we can get through this is to get our community transmission rates under control."

A hearing on the injunction is scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 24.

A Baltimore restaurant is taking the city's indoor mask mandate one step further and is requiring customers to bring proof of COVID-19 vaccination in order to enter. The policy is plastered on the front door of Silver Queen Cafe — customers ages 12 and up only get in if they have proof they're fully vaccinated.Jason Daniloski, the co-owner of Silver Queen Cafe, said he rather potentially lose his business than lose a life. Daniloski put the new policy in place last week Friday."We just kind of took the plunge. It's a little awkward. I used to be a doorman a long time ago, so it almost feels like you're in the club again checking IDs when you come in," he said.Customers who refuse to show proof or wear a mask indoors will have to wait outside to pick up food or dine at tables out front."Customers have been very supportive, and it was scary because we do need every cent. It's a scary time when you need every cent, and to make up for lost revenue from last year," Daniloski said.Currently, Baltimore City is under a reinstated indoor mask mandate, as COVID-19 cases continue to rise. So far, the city's positivity rate sits at 2.6% while Baltimore has seen a 439% rise in cases within the last four weeks.Daniloski is taking a stance, trying to keep the COVID-19 numbers down, even if it means putting safety over profit."It was just a risk we had to take. I mean, I'd rather lose my business than my life, or my family's life, or anybody else's life," Daniloski said.The owners said the policy will remain in place until cases begin to drop.

SUTTER CREEK, Calif. —

A California elementary school teacher was allegedly assaulted by a parent during an argument over their child having to wear a mask.

The incident happened Wednesday on campus, about an hour after the first day of school came to a close at Sutter Creek Elementary School.

"The teacher was bleeding," Amador County Unified School District Superintendent Torie Gibson told sister station KCRA. "He had some lacerations on his face, some bruising on his face, and a pretty good knot on the back of his head."

Gibson said the male parent verbally assaulted the school's principal when his daughter walked out of a school building wearing a mask. When a male teacher stepped in, the situation escalated and a physical altercation happened, resulting in injuries. The teacher was treated at the hospital and released Wednesday night.

According to Gibson, the parent was frustrated with the school's indoor mask requirement for everyone while students are on campus. The district's policy also says teachers who have proved they are fully vaccinated can take off their mask indoors when students are not present. The district's policy is in line with the indoor mask mandate by the state health department.

A letter Gibson sent to families said that "assaulting a staff member will never be tolerated on any school campus" and called for people to "take a breath, pause, listen and walk away if necessary."

Read the letter to Amador County, California, families about the mask incident here

"Remember, we are not the ones making the rules/mandates, we are the ones required to follow/enforce them if we want to keep our doors open and students at school five days a week," the letter said.

Gibson said she has received some angry emails since sending out the letter.

Parents who spoke with KCRA Thursday on campus said they support the teacher who was assaulted and are upset a parent used violence on a school campus.

"When it bleeds out onto and into locations where our children are, that's not okay," one parent said.

The superintendent says the parent is not allowed on school property, but the student is. She says a police report was filed with Sutter Creek police, and the district is working with the district attorney's office.

"If it's appropriate to press charges, we will do that," Gibson said. "If they tell me it's not appropriate, I will trust them."

ALEXANDRIA, Ky. — Kentucky’s mask mandate legal battle began Wednesday, less than a day after Gov. Andy Beshear imposed an order requiring people to wear masks inside schools and child care centers.

Attorney General Daniel Cameron filed documents that morning in the Kentucky Supreme Court, challenging that order.

“The Governor does not have to choose between following the science and following the law,” Cameron said. “The two can and should work together."

Elsewhere in the commonwealth, some Northern Kentucky schools began the first day of classes by complying with Beshear's order.

"My granddaughter is in sixth grade, and she's okay with the mask, and I am, too, because there is so much going on right now,” Teri Rankin told us at pickup time outside Campbell County Middle School.

Joan Orme was also there picking up grandchildren. “Exactly, and my husband is ill, and I can’t have the grandkids coming in and bringing us something we can’t handle, you know?” said Orme.

Beshear said his order aims to protect those who can’t get the vaccine.

He put the mandate in place after some school administrators indicated they would not follow his administration — and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's — recommendation that students and staff mask indoors. His mandate requires everyone 2 years old and up to cover their nose and mouth while inside.

Exceptions include: those sleeping, those who can’t remove the covering on their own, any person with a disability or impairment that prevents them from wearing one, those deaf or hard of hearing trying to communicate. To see a complete list of exceptions, click here.

“With the younger kids, it just seems difficult,” said Liz Reeder, a mother from Wilder with a 2- and a 4-year-old.

“It just seems like a hard decision if you’re not going to get good compliance from people,” she said.

Attorney General Cameron’s challenge points to a Boone County Circuit Court injunction from June, which centers on Beans Café & Baker’s complaint about mask mandates. Plus, AG Cameron said, lawmakers voted to restrict the governor’s power in the 2021 session.

“If he believes that the science requires a statewide mask mandate for schools and childcare centers, then he needs to do what the law requires and work with the General Assembly to put the necessary health precautions in place," Cameron said.

WCPO 9News checked each of the major Northern Kentucky school districts. Administrators from each district say they are following the governor's mandate.

FORT THOMAS, Ky. — St. Elizabeth Healthcare is requiring all its workers to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by Oct. 1.

The health care facility joins a list of hospitals and health systems in Kentucky, Ohio and across the nation requiring the vaccine for employees.

RELATED: Nearly a dozen Kentucky healthcare providers will require COVID-19 vaccine for workers

In recent weeks, St. Elizabeth has seen a surge in COVID-19 cases and said 100% of their ICU COVID cases are people who are unvaccinated. In addition, cases state-wide have quadrupled from June to July in children who are too young to be vaccinated.

During Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear’s press conference Thursday, St. Elizabeth CEO Gary Blank talked about the importance of the mandate.

"Our first priority at St. Elizabeth, and I know all the health systems, is the safety of our patients, our visitors and our employees as well as our community,” Blank said. “And vaccines are the best way for us to ensure that at this time. Obviously tough times require tough decisions, and this is one of those."

Beshear also called on private businesses to step up and praised Northern Kentucky University for requiring masks campus-wide.

The governor took another step to incentivize state workers by offering a vacation day if they show proof of vaccination.

Beshear said he won’t rule out another mask mandate if hospitalizations continue to rise.

“If we are going to defeat and not just delay COVID-19, there is one and only one answer,” Beshear said. “That answer is vaccinations. So each decision that we make has to gauge the impact on getting the unvaccinated to take that shot.”

CINCINNATI — The thought of going back into lockdown is enough to put anyone on edge again after 16 months of constant vigilance.

There’s no immediate threat that people in Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky will be ordered to once again mask up — but Los Angeles County residents in California are starting on Saturday, and other countries continue to implement localized lockdowns in response to pop-up outbreaks.

The Los Angeles mandate is sparking conversation across the country: Will it happen where you live?

Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff of the Ohio Department of Health said it’s difficult to predict whether case numbers and death will rise to levels requiring dramatic action.

“I think we’re in a very different position than we were in as we were heading into last fall,” he said. “We had no vaccine available as we were heading into last fall, and now … when we look at those 18 and older, almost 60% of Ohioans have begun the vaccination process, and when we look at those 65 and older, the numbers are better than 80%. We have a lot of good protection there.”

For now, it’s unlikely. The Ohio Department of Health declined to answer questions about whether officials were considering another lockdown.

But even the thought of backtracking into stricter quarantine measures can be anxiety-inducing, said psychologist Dr. Ashley Solomon. She believes people all over the world are living with “pandemic fatigue,” a state of mental and emotional overstimulation that comes from enduring a yearlong global crisis.

“Our alert systems are jacked up to high, and we’re looking out for any sign that we could be going backward, whether or not that’s actually true and going to happen,” she said. “It’s actually going to take some more work to work through the anxiety that’s been brought on to this pandemic and the trauma that so many of us have experienced.”

Solomon recommends practicing self-care and challenging anxious or catastrophizing thoughts when they appear. Vaccination and good hygiene stop the spread of COVID-19 and can help prevent another lockdown. Worrying doesn’t.

INDIANAPOLIS —

Indiana’s governor announced Tuesday he would lift the statewide mask mandate and remaining COVID-19 business restrictions in two weeks.

Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb said in a speech from his Statehouse office that the state’s steep declines in coronavirus hospitalization and deaths rates along with the growing number of people fully vaccinated justify the steps starting April 6.

Holcomb said he hoped the state was seeing the “tail end of this pandemic” that has killed nearly 13,000 people in the state over the past year.

The date for ending the mask mandate was picked to coincide with the ending of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament now being held in Indianapolis and to allow more time for people with at-risk health conditions to get vaccine shots, Holcomb said.

Local officials would still have the authority to impose tougher restrictions in response to COVID-19 cases in their communities and face mask use would still be required in K-12 schools for rest of this school year, Holcomb said.

He urged residents to continue wearing masks in public and that bars and restaurants continue to space out their tables.

While Holcomb has faced public pressure and from conservative state lawmakers to ease restrictions, especially after governors in Texas and other states have done so recently, he didn’t make any bold victory announcements and asked residents to respect rules adopted by businesses and others.

“Whether that is a bank branch lobby, on the factory floor or a county courthouse or city hall, they retain the authority to make decisions about COVID restrictions for their operations and should be afforded the respect, compliance and understanding of all who visit them,” Holcomb said. “When I visit my favorite restaurants or conduct a public event, I will continue to appropriately wear a mask, it’s the right thing to do.”

But some health experts worry it is premature to lift the statewide restrictions, pointing to the steep increase in hospitalizations and deaths the state saw beginning in September after the governor lifted most business restrictions before reinstating crowd limits several weeks later.

“We put a lot of restrictions in place last year, there was some initial hesitation by some parts of the population to comply with some of those orders,” said Brian Dixon, an epidemiologist at Indiana University’s Fairbanks School of Public Health. “And then what we saw in the fall is that rates went up, they skyrocketed because people were not following precautions.”

Holcomb said the state would open up vaccine eligibility for all residents 16 and older starting March 31 and that additional mass vaccination clinics were being planned for April.

The governor’s public health emergency for the state will remain in place through April, which Holcomb said would allow state officials to take quick action if needed and gives the state access to hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding.

FRANKFORT, Ky. — Starting Monday, April 5, every Kentuckian 16 and older will be eligible to receive Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine, the only vaccine authorized by the FDA for use in people under 18.

Kentuckians 18 and up will also qualify for the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines starting Monday.

Gov. Andy Beshear said more appointments are becoming available as Kentuckians continue to get vaccines. As other states see an increase in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, Beshear said it's crucial to get as many Kentuckians vaccinated as possible before virus variants can spread.

"What we're seeing is that vaccines work, and older Americans have gotten it. But we're seeing more younger Americans ending up in the hospital. This, we believe, is because of the more aggressive variants," Beshear said. "We want to get ahead of them."

Beshear said there are now 41 cases of "variants of concern" across Kentucky, including 13 cases in Kenton County, five in Boone County and four in Campbell County.

"This is a race, and therefore we need people willing to go in and get the vaccine as soon as possible," the governor said.

Kentucky's announcement on Wednesday beats the White House's May 1 goal to open vaccinations to all adults by nearly one month. It also beats Kentucky's previous goal by one week, as Beshear had pledged earlier this month that vaccine eligibility would open to all adults on April 12.

Since doses first arrived in December, Kentucky has vaccinated more than 1.3 million individuals against COVID-19, and officials estimate that 70% of Kentuckians age 70 and older have been vaccinated.

New COVID-19 cases decline for 11 weeks

New cases of COVID-19 have declined for the last 11 weeks. On Wednesday, the state's test positivity rate rose slightly to 2.96%.

Kentucky reported 815 new cases of COVID-19 Wednesday, more than last week's Wednesday count, as well as 22 new deaths from the virus, some of them from previous months reported by local health departments.

Since March 2020, 426,876 Kentuckians have tested positive for COVID-19 and 6,090 have died of the virus. Currently, 413 Kentuckians are hospitalized for COVID-19, with 110 people in intensive care units and 48 on ventilators.

The governor cautioned that Kentucky must continue to use "common sense" practices to prevent the spread of COVID-19 as other states see case numbers rising. Beshear has also discouraged "non-essential travel" during spring break.

NKY Health reports 430 active coronavirus cases in Boone, Campbell, Grant and Kenton counties, and 39,922 people have recovered from the virus Wednesday. Since the pandemic began, 390 Northern Kentuckians have died from the virus. Track the spread on Kentucky's COVID-19 incidence rate map.

Watch a replay of the briefing below:

Above video: Doctor says vaccine, precautions will stop variants

Arizona businesses will be free to ignore mask mandates meant to contain the spread of diseases like COVID-19 under legislation signed Friday by Gov. Doug Ducey.

The bill's advocates said business owners should be allowed to decide for themselves whether to require their customers to follow public health orders issued by cities and counties.

Critics said the legislation would make it harder to contain the spread of diseases. The measure passed the House and Senate on party-line votes, with Republicans in favor and Democrats opposed.

Ducey said he signed the bill after securing a commitment from its sponsor, Republican Rep. Joseph Chaplik, that he'll push through a new bill making clear that the state can enforce longstanding workplace safety and infection control standards unrelated to COVID-19.

"With his commitment to fix this oversight, I am signing this bill, ensuring that our small businesses will no longer be required to enforce mandates imposed on them by their cities who are choosing not to enforce it themselves," Ducey wrote in a signing statement explaining his decision.

Since the pandemic began, Ducey has resisted pressure from Democrats and public health advocates to impose a statewide mask mandate, but after a massive spike in cases, he allowed local governments to set their own requirements. He has repeatedly said that the mayors pushing for mask mandates aren't enforcing their own.

Mayors say the mere presence of a mandate is enough to get most people to comply without the need to write tickets.

Ducey issued an executive order last month banning local mask mandates, but several jurisdictions run by Democrats have refused to rescind their mask orders. Those include Phoenix, Tucson, Flagstaff and Tempe.

With more than 89 million adults in the United States fully vaccinated against COVID-19, health experts are weighing the options about whether it's still necessary to wear a mask outdoors.

CNN's Chief Medical Adviser Dr. Sanjay Gupta said during an interview on "New Day" that if you're vaccinated, "I'd say, for the most part, you don't need to wear a mask outdoors."

On Thursday, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said in an interview on "Today" that the federal health agency is considering revising its mask guidance.

“We’ll be looking at the outdoor masking question, but also in the context of the fact that we still have people who are dying of COVID-19,” Dr. Walensky said.

She said that although it's "wonderful news" that more and more people are getting vaccinated, Dr. Walensky said 57,000 COVID cases were reported yesterday and 733 deaths.

There are two main methods COVID can spread droplets expelled into the air when a person coughs or sneezes and from aerosol particles that humans spray into the air when they speak.

Several states have already begun eliminating statewide mask mandates: Texas, Alabama, Mississippi, and West Virginia.

According to CNN, Rhode Island will only require masks to be worn indoors beginning May 7, and in Connecticut, COVID-19 restrictions are ending on May 19.

COVINGTON, Ky. —

Kentucky is following the lead of several other states with plans to lift the mask-wearing protocols June 11.

The governor made the announcement Friday and called it a shot of hope for residents of the state. It was welcomed news for residents and businesses that have been under unbelievable restrictions for 14 months.

“You have to let people make their own decisions,” Northern Kentucky resident Jack Simkonis said.

Some businesses will let their own policies stand and individuals will let their conscience be their guide.

Although the mask protocols will be lifted in June, many venues will be allowed to increase their capacity to 75% shortly before Memorial Day.

“If you feel like you need to wear a mask, wear a mask. I think we’re at a good place and I think the numbers show that,” Northern Kentucky resident Bill Kornblum said.

FRANKFORT, Ky. — Gov. Andy Beshear announced Friday that Kentucky businesses, venues and events can return to full capacity starting June 11.

The state's mask mandate will also be lifted on that day, except in "places where people are most vulnerable," Beshear said. Those restrictions will lift in exactly one month to give children ages 12 to 15 the chance to get the recently authorized Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.

Before that on May 28, businesses and venues can increase capacity to 75%, and that also applies to all events regardless of the number of attendees. Kentucky's midnight last call for bars and restaurants will end that day.

So far, Kentucky has vaccinated nearly 1.9 million people against COVID-19, or about 43% of the state's population.

Starting now, Kentucky's mask mandate is also changing following new CDC guidance Thursday. Fully vaccinated people can now go maskless in most indoor settings without large crowds, but masks are still required in hospitals and nursing homes. Kentucky's mandate, which requires masks in all public settings, will immediately change to fit the new guidance, Beshear said in a video update Thursday.

Team Kentucky

Since March 2020, 451,213 Kentuckians have tested positive for COVID-19 and 6,637 have died of the virus. Currently, 411 Kentuckians are hospitalized for COVID-19, with 117 people in intensive care units and 47 on ventilators.

The state's test positivity rate, one of the key indicators of virus spread, is 3.08%.

NKY Health reports 399 active coronavirus cases in Boone, Campbell, Grant and Kenton counties, and 41,635 people have recovered from the virus Friday. Since the pandemic began, 455 Northern Kentuckians have died from the virus. Track the spread on Kentucky's COVID-19 incidence rate map.

Watch a replay of the briefing in the player below: