New York Gov. Hochul compares forcing children to wear masks in school with wearing shoes

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New York’s Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul compared children wearing face masks in schools due to coronavirus fears with wearing shoes. 

"My daughter had a meltdown about having to put sneakers on to go to kindergarten," the governor said Friday during a press conference after being asked about a timeline for removing mask mandates in schools. "She got used to wearing sneakers in school. They adapt better than adults do."

NEW YORK GOV. HOCHUL SLAMMED FOR POSING MASKLESS ON BROADWAY WHILE CHILDREN ARE FORCED TO MASK UP IN SCHOOLS

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 06: New York Governor Kathy Hochul is joined by Mayor Eric Adams at a news conference at a Manhattan subway station  (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

Hochul continued, "I’m really proud of the parents that made sure their kids understood this is for their safety and got it done."

The governor added that she is "looking forward" to lifting the mandate and knows "people are tired" of them.

Hochul was immediately criticized on social media by users concerned about the potential damage wearing masks can cause children and the many studies that have cast doubt on the effectiveness of masks and shown low transmission in schools.

NY SUBURBAN DEMS, REPUBLICANS REFUSE TO ENFORCE GOV. HOCHUL’S MASK MANDATE

"Why isn't @GovKathyHochul wearing a mask WHILE SHE SAYS THIS NONSENSE?" radiologist Pradheep Shanker tweeted. 

"Andrew Cuomo 2.0 is somehow even worse than the original," Republican Congressman Lee Zeldin, who is running for governor to replace Hochul, posted. "She just doesn’t get it at all. Enough! After you and I FIRE Kathy Hochul this November 8th, on Day ONE, ALL COVID related vaccine and mask mandates END."

"Of all the incredibly dumb attempted analogies by liberals to justify the insane, unnecessary, and counterproductive masking of kids, this may be the worst," Mediaite Senior Columnist John Ziegler tweeted. "You don’t breath/speak using your feet. Unlike masks, shoes clearly work at protecting feet from all sorts of problems."

In this image taken from video, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul speaks during a virtual press conference, Thursday, Dec. 2, 2021, in New York.  (AP Photo)

The governor’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News.

Hochul has said that she expects most school districts to do away with mask-wearing once the statewide mandate is lifted next month. 

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New York Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul speaks during a news conference the day after Governor Andrew Cuomo announced his resignation at the New York State Capitol, in Albany, New York, U.S., August 11, 2021.  (REUTERS/Cindy Schultz)

Hochul has been one of the nation’s most outspoken governors when it comes to mask mandates but was criticized in October after being spotted at a Broadway play without a mask. 

Hochul has also been a proponent of vaccine mandates saying in September that those who do not get vaccinated "are not listening to God and doing what God wants."