Most New Yorkers support mask and COVID-19 vaccine mandates, according to a new poll released on Tuesday.Â
The Siena Research Institute found 69% of voters support requiring school employees, including teachers, to be vaccinated. Two-thirds of voters said they support businesses, such as gyms and restaurants, mandating customers to show proof of vaccination. There is a similar level of support (65%) for employers requiring employees to be vaccinated.Â
In New York, school employees must submit to weekly COVID-19 testing unless they present proof of vaccination. President Joe Biden has issued a nationwide directive requiring employees at businesses with 100 or more workers to be vaccinated or get tested weekly.Â
Siena College pollster Steve Greenberg noted that more than three-quarters of Democrats and a majority of independent voters support the vaccine mandates.Â
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"Although a majority of Republicans support two of the mandates, they are divided on employers mandating their employees (to get vaccinated)," Greenberg added.Â
At least 70% of New York City voters support vaccine mandates. In upstate New York, 65% of voters support vaccine mandates for school employees, while 57% endorse the idea of employers requiring employees to be vaccinated.Â
There is more approval of mask mandates. More than three-quarters of voters (78%) say they support school districts requiring students, teachers and staff to wear masks in school buildings. Nearly three-quarters of voters (74%) support governments requiring masks in indoor facilities.Â
Gov. Kathy Hochul announced in August that masks must be worn in schools. There isn't a similar requirement for other indoor facilities, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends masks to be worn indoors in areas with high or substantial COVID-19 transmission levels.Â
The school mask mandate has wide bipartisan support, including 89% of Democrats, 76% of independents and 57% of Republicans.Â
Siena surveyed 700 registered voters. The margin of error is plus or minus 4.2%.Â
Politics reporter Robert Harding can be reached at (315) 282-2220 or robert.harding@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @robertharding.