Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Wednesday that child care and day care centers and after-school facilities are among some of the sites that will be mandated to require masks.
The governor says masks are required at state regulated child care facilities for kids 2 and older and all staff and visitors.
"Starting today we're going to require masks at child care and day care centers," says Hochul.
Alicia Marks, owner of Marks of Excellence Child Care in Amityville, says her business has already been following mask protocols.
"It hasn't changed anything," says Marks. "We never stopped wearing the masks. We feel that it's mandatory to keep children safe."
Hochul also says masks are required at state-licensed residential day programs, juvenile detention programs and domestic violence and other shelter programs.
Sanna Hagley, of Deer Park, is a mother of three. She supports the governor's requirements, saying that masks have been a constant for her kids.
Hochul says the mask mandate applies to anyone over the age of 2 regardless of vaccination status.