Onondaga County executive mandates masks in all buildings at New York State Fair

GEDDES, N.Y. — Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon on Tuesday announced that he has signed an executive order requiring everyone attending the New York State Fair to wear masks whenever they go inside any of the buildings at the fairgrounds.

The indoor mask requirement applies to all attendees, regardless of vaccination status. According to CDC data, more than 69 percent of New York adults are fully vaccinated and 58 percent of the total population has completed a vaccine series.

The county executive says his rationale for the mask mandate is that the return of the State Fair, after a one-year absence due to COVID-19, is important for the region’s economic recovery and the mask requirement inside buildings is “an effort to ensure that the Fair is as successful as possible while protecting the public health.”

“The return of the New York State Fair is a welcomed sign of progress for our community, region and state. After 18 months, we have learned successful mitigation measures that have proven to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. First among them is the vaccine and I will continue to encourage folks every day to sign up for the vaccine. Another important tool are masks.” McMahon said in a release. “We know that masks, especially for indoor settings, are scientifically proven to help minimize the spread of COVID-19, which is why I have signed this executive order.”

The New York State Fair, newly expanded to 18 days, starts on Aug. 20 and runs through Sept. 6.