Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone says he will not enact 'hard enforcement' of the statewide mask mandate put in place by Gov. Kathy Hochul.

Hochul has said she is leaving enforcement up to individual counties. 

"We've always taken the approach, as we seek to protect public health, that we're going to educate, inform, and that's exactly what we're doing,' Bellone said in a video addressing questions. 

Bellone says the county will be reaching out to businesses and residents to inform them about the state's guidance. 

As far as using police or health officials to enforce the mandate, Bellone says he will not be enacting any type of 'hard enforcement.' 

Nassau County Executive-elect Bruce Blakeman has already said he will not be enforcing the mandate. 

Gov. Hochul put the mandate in place as new cases, fueled in part by the new omicron variant, continue to rise.  Health officials are concerned about a coming surge in cases following the holidays. 

"We're all dealing with this unprecedented pandemic," Bellone said. "It continues to change and adapt, in ways that, you know we don't exactly know where it's going to go, and we have to adapt too."