Pirate's Cove

This won’t hurt businesses who are still trying to recover at all, eh, and cause people to forgo visiting New York

Gov. Hochul orders new statewide mask or vax mandate as COVID surges

Gov. Kathy Hochul ordered indoor public places statewide — like restaurants and shops — to require that staff and customers either show proof of vaccination or wear masks as officials try to staunch a slew of coronavirus outbreaks hitting upstate hard.

The new mandate will take effect Monday and applies statewide. It will remain in force until Jan. 15, when it could be extended, officials said.

“I have to protect people but also the economy. I want to make sure that the little businesses that were hurt so hard during the pandemic in a shutdown — resulting in their loss of income, [and] the loss of income of all the people who work for them,” said Hochul at an unrelated event in Manhattan, after announcing the mandate. “We have to prevent that from happening.”

This will turn all business owners and workers into Mandate Police, forcing them to ask every worker and patron for proof of vaccination, and, without, making them mask up. Or get fined

Businesses that fail to enforce the rules could be subject to civil and criminal penalties, including a maximum fine of $1,000 for each violation.

So, businesses, already on the edge, will have to pretty much task one person with being at the door at all times.

A top public relations executive in New York called it a big blow to employers’ efforts to get their businesses — and the city — back to normal functioning.

From a business perspective it’s very damaging for back-to-office,” said Ronn Torossian, who heads the firm 5WPR. “It’s already cold outside and then to sit in an office and wear a mask.

“Businesses have to tread lightly getting people back to the office anyway. Everyone is dealing with labor shortages. This might be a good move for public health but it’s certainly not positive for the back to work effort.”

Yes, they do, and the workers will be the ones on the front lines of dealing with pissed off customers. NBC NY notes the places you still have to mask even if vaccinated

People who aren’t vaccinated are still responsible for wearing masks, in accordance with federal CDC guidance. The state’s masking requirements continue to be in effect for pre-K to grade 12 schools, public transit, homeless shelters, correctional facilities, nursing homes and healthcare settings per CDC guidelines.

So, yeah, school kids are still required to mask up, even if vaccinated.

Most reported U.S. Omicron cases have hit the fully vaccinated -CDC

Most of the 43 COVID-19 cases caused by the Omicron variant identified in the United States so far were in people who were fully vaccinated, and a third of them had received a booster dose, according to a U.S. report published on Friday.

How soon till NY considers full vaccination to be those who had the booster, which seems less than effective against the mostly mild Omicron?

And here's Hochul not wearing a mask after announcing a statewide mask mandate https://t.co/hqKhvnp9vS

— William Teach2 ??????? #refuseresist (@WTeach2) December 10, 2021

You might be saying “but, she’s fully vaccinated!” But, she’s in a government office building, where there is a requirement to wear a mask.