11.22.21 COVID-19 Bulletin: Poloncarz Reinstates Indoor Mask Mandate
Blog Categories
This afternoon, Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz announced he will mandate the wearing of face coverings in all indoor public places, including private businesses. This includes bars, restaurants, stores, theaters, barbershops, salons, gyms, entertainment and sports venues, hotels, banks, and all other places open to the public.
This mandate takes effect tomorrow (Tuesday, November 23) at 6:00 am. The mandate applies in all municipalities within Erie County, and to all individuals regardless of vaccination status. Businesses not complying with the mandate can face penalties as they had earlier in the pandemic, Poloncarz said.
Poloncarz cited rising numbers of COVID-19 hospitalizations for the decision. He indicated this policy may be relaxed if COVID cases and hospitalization numbers improve.
Poloncarz called the mask mandate the first of a four-phase approach. The second phase would be a vaccine mandate for all indoor spaces; the third would be capacity restrictions, and the fourth would be shutdowns. Poloncarz said he does not want to advance to these additional phases, but will do so if the COVID-19 situation does not improve. He will assess the county’s progress on December 13 and evaluate whether to move to a more restrictive phase.
The County Executive’s full announcement is available here.
BNP leadership has been in ongoing discussions with the County Executive and remains hopeful that increased caution will prevent future mandates that would hinder our regional economy.
The BNP will continue to advocate for actions that keep our economy open and working.
Related Posts
9.28.21 Advocacy Alert: NYS To Raise Minimum Wage
The New York State Department of Labor announced a forthcoming increase in the minimum wage across upstate New York.
On December 31, the minimum wage in our region will rise to $13.20 per hour, a 70-cent increase from the current rate.
9/24/21 Webisode: Navigating the New Federal Vaccine Mandate for Employers
President Joe Biden recently announced a new mandate requiring all employers with 100 or more employees to ensure their workforce is fully vaccinated or require weekly testing of unvaccinated workers.
9.20.21 Advocacy Alert: Border Closure Extended Through October
This morning, the U.S. federal government announced that it will be extending its closure to Canadian travelers through October 21.
Non-essential Canadian travelers have been banned from entering the U.S. since March 2020. Despite calls from the BNP, numerous members of Congress, and chambers across the nation to open the border, the Biden administration has not relented in its approach – even after Canada opened its doors to American travelers in August.
9.9.21 COVID-19 Bulletin: Biden To Mandate “Vax or Test” Requirement for Large Employers
Yesterday, Governor Kathy Hochul announced she would repeal the state’s mask mandate, effective today. However, her announcement did not proactively address how the repeal coincided with the NY HERO Act, which would have required employees in most workplaces to continue masking.