New York State Senate candidate: New York has not prioritized children during this pandemic
Democratic New York State Senate candidate Danyela Souza Egorov on NYC parents protesting mask mandates.
A Democratic New York State Senate candidate said Tuesday she is running for office because New York has not prioritized children during this entire pandemic.
"They opened restaurants and gyms before they opened school. They are allowing athletes to play. They do not allow student-athletes who are not vaccinated to play. And now toddlers are the last group that are still mandated to wear masks in New York City," Danyela Souza Egorov told "Fox & Friends."
Egorov said mothers like her notice the effect of the masks on their kids. Egorov said Mayor Eric Adams is not following the science when it comes to students needing to see the teacher's mouth to help learn phonics.
"The kids are delayed. We still don’t have enough data to show that but, we have all these referrals from speech therapists that say they have never seen so many kids delayed. And mothers like me can see their kids are not getting ready for kindergarten."
Adams said on Friday that he is planning on appealing a Staten Island judge's injunction which struck down the city's mask mandate for 2 to 4-year-olds in schools and daycare.
FILE - New York City Mayor Eric Adams speaks during the New York State Democratic Convention in New York, Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)
Richmond County Supreme Court Judge Ralph Porzio threw out the mask mandate for toddlers aged 2-4 years olds on Friday, calling it "arbitrary, capricious and unreasonable," adding that it is "void and unenforceable," according to Fox 5 New York.
The city filed an appeal and was granted a stay on the ruling, keeping the mask mandate in place. Adams cited a slight increase in COVID-19 cases as a reason to extend the mask mandate.
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New Yorkers are bringing the fight to Adams in other ways.
New York City parents are also suing Adams over the mask mandate for children. Attorney Michael Chessa and Brooklyn mother Agaja Reddy joined "Fox & Friends First" earlier Tuesday to discuss the impacts of the mandate as parents fight back against the policy.
"It is frustrating. It makes no sense according to the science. It makes no sense according to the law based on our win in state court last week," Chessa said, adding New York City lawmakers are not following "science," but pushing "politics and policy."
"There are other things involved," Chessa said.
Reddy said it is completely heartbreaking to know as a parent that "you are not able to make sure your kid is thriving in the school environment."
NYC parents protest mask mandate at City Hall March 7, 2022. (Fox News Digital)
"I have a two-year-old daughter, and she keeps asking if she needs to continue wearing her mask to school."
"The social, emotional development standpoint is all areas that I want my daughter to thrive in. And she’s dealing with it as a result of this mask mandate."
Fox News' Adam Sabes contributed to this report.
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