Steve Hughes reports in the Times Union that Albany and Schenectady County officials issued a joint health advisory Dec. 7 asking residents to wear masks in public regardless of vaccination status. On Dec. 5 Ulster County officials also asked their residents to all wear masks indoors. These edicts come as locally COVID-19 cases counts are rising, and the new omicron variant is reaching New York. Albany County Executive Dan McCoy said they did not issue a mask mandate because of enforcement issues. "Just because there isn't a mandate doesn't mean you shouldn't do the right thing," he said. Recently there were eight deaths in six days in Albany County from coronavirus. While Ulster, Albany, and Schenectady are united in message, McCoy said he could not get other local counties to make the same announcement. "We haven't been able to do all that, to get everyone in sync to come up with same message," he said. "The only way new restrictions will work is if we do it on a regional-basis approach." Read more about this story in the Times Union.