Gov. Kathy Hochul announced some new COVID-19 preparation initiatives aimed to protect public health and support the ongoing response to the pandemic.

She announced a Fall Action Plan that will help New Yorkers as the fall months arrive, when COVID-19 rates have seen increases before.

The plan focuses on a safe return-to-school strategy that includes the distribution of 3 million COVID-19 tests for schools statewide before the beginning of the year, while promoting access to treatment for New Yorkers. She did not anticipate requiring masks in classrooms when children return to school.

The governor also told New Yorkers about the “After Action COVID-19 Response Review” that will help to determine which businesses are essential in the event of another pandemic.

Hochul called this after-action review the first of its kind, hoping that its impact can go beyond New York.

“New Yorkers deserve the best from their government,” said Hochul. “We need to identify what worked and what did not work and why."