New York state’s newly sworn-in Gov. Kathy Hochul delivered her first address on Aug. 24, laying out priorities for her administration that include tougher measures to combat COVID-19, including universal masking in schools and a staff vaccine mandate with a testing opt-out. “Your priorities are my priorities—and right now that means fighting the Delta variant,” Hochul, a Democrat, said during a ceremony in the Red Room at the State Capitol in Albany. The former lieutenant governor made the remarks after taking the gubernatorial helm from former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who resigned in the wake of sexual harassment allegations that he has denied. Vowing to take “proactive steps” to prevent “a rerun of last year’s horrors with COVID-19,” Hochul said her top priority would be to enhance school safety protocols while noting that New Yorkers more broadly “can expect new vaccine requirements.” Hochul said she would immediately direct the state’s public health authority …