Over a week away from Alabama letting its masking ordinance expire, the director for the CDC is saying she has a feeling of "impending doom" if the state continues to loosen restrictions, and one restaurant owner shares that fear.
New at six - in just a little over a week - alabama will join other states like texas and mississippi in doing away with a statewide mask mandate.
This - as the c-d-c director and president biden ask states to avoid easing up on coronavirus restrictions -- with the director saying she has a feeling of quote "impending doom" if states continue to loosen restrictions.
Waay 31's ashley carter joins us live now.
Ashley - these words from people like the c-d-c director are causing some businesses to think long and hard about their decision on masking come next week.
I spoke to one business owner who told me hearing from the c-d-c and president about their thoughts on masks is something they have no choice but to consider when it comes to deciding what they'll do with their masking policy next week..
Enforcing the mask mandate a little over a week before it expireshasn't been easy for leandra poe-x the owner of fire & spice tex mex.
Within the last week they've run into issues with some customers who didn't want to wear masks in the restaurant anymore.
Leandra poux, fire&spice tex mex owner: "they would verbally abuse our employees, and it got to the point where it was happening four to five times a day."
Poe-x hasn't decided if her restaurant will continue to enforce the masking policy when the states and the counties ends on april 9th----because it's not a decision that can be made lightly.
She says while she knows some people are tired of wearing masks....hearing the president and c-d-c director both speak so strongly about keeping safety restrictions isn't something that can be ignored leandra poux, fire&spice tex mex owner: "i'm 8 months pregnant, so i have to think of that way.
I'm still working in here.
We have people who have to live with others who are autoimmune deficient, so we always keep that in mind" poe-x says whatever decision is made won't be made with political views in mind...but safety instead.
Leandra poux, fire&spice tex mex owner: "everyone has a political view on this, and that's not why we're here we just want to do business and do it in a safe manner."
I reached out to the governor's office to see if they had a statement regarding the c-d-c directors comment and have not heard back.
She did release a statement last night saying despite the president's comments she will continue to let the mandate expire next friday.
Live in hsv ashley c waay 31 news
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