11.23.21 COVID-19 Bulletin: Erie DOH Releases Details on New Mask Mandates
Blog Categories
November 23, 2021
Erie County Health Commissioner Gale Burstein just released a detailed order with new pandemic protocols, clarifying the County Executive’s announcement yesterday.
Anyone over two (2) must wear a mask in all indoor public settings, regardless of their vaccination status. Any indoor employees must wear a mask when interacting with patrons. Anyone using public transit or other for-hire vehicles must wear a mask.
The most notable detail: businesses that mandate proof of vaccination for entry do not have to force patrons to mask. So, businesses can be exempt from the mask mandate if they choose to mandate vaccination.
Yesterday, County Executive Poloncarz pledged to mandate vaccination for entry into public places if the mask mandate fails to improve case and hospitalization numbers.
The BNP will continue to keep you informed as this situation unfolds.
The full text of the ECDOH order can be found here. Poloncarz’s announcement is summarized here.
Related Posts
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.
9.7.21 Advocacy Alert: Hochul Triggers HERO Act – Employer Checklist
Yesterday, Governor Kathy Hochul designated COVID-19 as a “highly contagious communicable disease,” citing rising case numbers and concerns about the delta variant. This declaration is significant because it triggers the NY HERO Act.