Local businesses owners are divided about Erie County's new mask mandate.
The mandate goes into effect Tuesday, November 23 at 6 AM for all public, indoor spaces.
FIGHT AGAINST COVID-19 BEGINSIN JUST A FEW HOURS.
COUNTYLEADERS LAYING OUT AFOUR-PHASE APPROACH.
STARTINGAT 6 A-M -- YOU MUST WEAR AMASK INDOORS.
THIS INCLUDESRESTAURANTS -- GYMS ANGROCERY STORES.
THAT IS JUSTPHASE ONE.
PHASE TWO IS AVACCINE MANDATE FOR BARS --RESTAURANTS AND ENTERTAINMENTVENUES.
NEW YORK CITY ALREADYHAS THAT IN PLACE.
PHASE THREEIS CAPACITY RESTRICTIONS.
THEFINAL PHASE -- SHUTTING DOWNBUSINESSES.
ERIE COUNTYLEADERS SAY THE DATA WILLGUIDE THEIR DECISION WHETHTO MOVE INTO FURTHER PHASES.IF WE ARE GOING DOWNWARD INCASES AND HOSPITALIZATIONS,ESPECIALLY HOSPITALIZATIONS,WE WON'T HAVE TO GO TO PHASETWO, BUT IF WE SEE ATREMENDOUS INCREASE INHOSPITALIZATIONS AS A RESULTOF INCREASED CASES, WE WILLTHEN IMPLEMENT PHASE TWOLEADERS IN BOTH NIAGARA ANDCHAUTAUQUA COUNTIES SAY THWILL NOT PUT ANY MANDATES INEFFECT RIGHT NOW.
ERIE COUNTYWILL MAKE A DECISION ON PHASETWO NO LATER THAN DECEMBER13TH.SENECA GAMING SAYS MASKS WILLALSO BE REQUIRED INSIDE THEICASINOS.
THEY DO NOTNECESSARILY HAVE TO FOLLOW THECOUNTY MANDATE SINCE THEY AREON SOVEREIGN LAND -- BUT THEYWILL ANYWAY.
AS NATALIE FAHMYREPORTS -- THERE IS MIXEDREACTION TO TODAY'S DECISION.PAUL SANTORA//SANTORA'S "ITSTHE RIGHT TO CHOOSE, IT'S OURFIRST AMENDMENT RIGHT." DENNISDIPAOLO//ILIO DIPAOLO'S "ITSALL ABOUT COMMUNITY.
IF WECAN'T FEEL SAFE GOING OUT, NOONE IS GOING TO GO OUT." LOCALBUSINESSES OWNERS ARE DIVIDEDABOUT ERIE COUNTY'S NEW MASKMANDATE.
DENNIS DIPAULO, OWNEROF ILIO DIPAULO'S RESTAURANTIN BLASDELL SAYS THIS IS ABEST- CASE SCENARIO.
DENNISDIPAOLO//ILIO DIPAOLO'S"NIGHTMARES OF WHAT WE WERELAST YEAR.
TOTALLY CLOSEDDOWN, RESTAURANTS AREDECORATED AND NO CUSTOMERS."DIPAOLO SAYS THE MANDATE WON'TCHANGE THE DINING EXPERIENCE.DENNIS DIPAOLO//ILIO DIPAOLO'S"SIT DOWN ENJOY DINNER, SIT ATTHE BAR ENJOY A DRINK, YOUDON'T NEED A MASK ON.
BUT IFYOU'RE WALKING, YOU'REWEARING" BUT PAUL SANTORA,OWNER OF SANTORA'S PIZZA PUBAND GRILL RESTAURANTS, SAYSPEOPLE SHOULD BE ABLE TODECIDE WHETHER THEY WEAR AMASK.
PAUL SANTORA//SANTORA'S"WE UNDERSTAND THERES PEOPLEOUT THERE WHO AREN'T DOINGWELL, WE GET THAT, BUT PEOPLEHAVE RIGHTS." SANTORA SAYSMORE MANDATES COULD DAMPEN THEHOLIDAY SPIRIT& PAULSANTORA//SANTORA'S "THIS ISGOING TO BE LIKE THE STAKE INTHE HEART THAT PEOPLE WILLNEVER BE ABLE TO RECOVFROM." SUPPORTERS HOPE THEMANDATE CAN HELP BRING COVIDRATES DOWN.
BUT PEOPLE LIKESANTORA BELIEVE THIS COULD PUTAN ADDED STRAIN ON BUSINESSOWNERS AND EMPLOYEES.
DENNISDIPAOLO//ILIO DIPAOLO'S "MANYMANY PEOPLE CANNOT AFFORD TOGO ANOTHER DECEMBER WITHOUTBUSINESSES." PAULSANTORA//SANTORA'S "YOU'REASKING AN INDIVIDUAL, ANEMPLOYEE, TO NOT LET ACUSTOMER COME INTO YOURLOCATION."THIS MANDATE GOES INTO EFFECTTOMORROW MORNING AT 6 AM&.NOONLY FOR RESTAURANTS, BUT ANYPUBLIC PLACE LIKE GYMS,GROCERY STORES AND MALLS.
LIVEFROM THE NEWSROOM, NF, 7EWN.THIS IS WHY ERIE COUNTY ISACTING.
THE 7-DAY TEST AVERAIN ERIE COUNTY IS ABOVE NINEPERCENT.
IT IS FAR HIGHER INOTHER PARTS OF WESTERN NYORK -- AND WELL ABOVE THESTATEWIDE AVERAGE.
AND WE CANSEE HOW MUCH WORSE WE ARECOMPARED TO A FEW MONTHS AGO.ON JUNE 18TH JUST ONE PERSONIN ERIE COUNTY TESTEDPOSITIVE.
THE NUMBER YESTERD-- 520.THERE ARE FEARS THAT T
There were mixed responses from businesses over the new mandate.