Mask mandate is lifted, local businesses make their own rules

Take a walk down Main Street in Northport Village and things look the same as they have all year. “Please Wear Your Mask” signs hang on telephone polls and inside store windows, but there’s a lot of uncertainty about what we are all supposed to be doing at this point. With the New York State mask mandate officially lifted, business owners are left with a tough decision: do we keep the masks or ditch them?

Pop into five local spots today and you’ll likely experience five different scenarios. Some are keeping the mask mandate intact, others are allowing customers to remove their masks while workers stay covered. A few are nixing mask-wearing altogether, for the fully vaccinated.

What guidance did business owners have in setting these rules? Effective Wednesday, New York State adopted the CDC’s new mask and social distancing guidance for vaccinated people. Governor Andrew Cuomo’s statement reads, “Per CDC, immunocompromised and unvaccinated people should continue to wear a mask and social distance.” Masks are still required on public transportation, in nursing homes, homeless shelters, correctional facilities, schools and health care facilities. Individual private venues may still impose additional requirements.”

When asked about setting guidelines for local businesses, Northport Village Trustee Ian Milligan explained at Tuesday’s board meeting, “Businesses can make their own rules within their establishments. And if someone doesn’t follow those rules, they can actually have the police assisting them in enforcing it. It’s the business’ right to make its own rules.”

Mayor Damon McMullen noted, “It’s all very confusing. The guidance from the CDC and Albany has not been very good at all.” He added, “We are not going to take a position on it.”

In a nutshell, privately owned Northport and East Northport businesses are left to make their own decisions regarding mask wearing and have to face the community’s reaction, too.

So what policies have private businesses established now that they’re on their own? Donna Moschella, owner of Nest on Main in the Village, told the Journal it’s a complex issue that she’s been discussing with other shop owners. “It’s hard to know how exactly to move forward with the new guidelines,” she said. “As for now, I’m keeping the sign on my door about masks required, but I have no wish to get into any conflict over it.” Donna said that most customers have been very respectful and prefer mask wearing. She added, “As business owners, no doubt it will be difficult as you can’t please everyone. I prefer to err on the side of caution for the time being.” She also noted the impossibility of knowing who is actually vaccinated, making the “masks off for the vaccinated” policy difficult to enforce.

Mark Boccard, owner of Southdown Coffee on Main Street, said that they’ll continue to require masks until the staff is fully vaccinated. He noted that the news came a little suddenly and they’ve planned a staff meeting to discuss what’s next.

Right next door, at Lics Ice Cream, the door sign reads that unvaccinated customers must wear a mask, so some patrons were able to order their ice cream with a visible smile on their faces today. And further down the block, Jones Drug Store posted a sign saying “Masks are still required in the store.”

Off Main Street, the varying policies continue. Harbor Head Brewing Company posted on social media about their mask policy, explaining, “The state of NY has lifted the mask policy for vaccinated people. Since we have been following the guidelines from the CDC and the state, as of today, customers visiting us who are vaccinated do not need to wear masks. While we are not asking for proof, we hope our customers will respect the honor system.” They added, “At this time, our employees will still wear masks. Unvaccinated customers need to wear a mask when not seated.”

Gold’s Gym in East Northport also posted about their masks and social distancing policy, writing, “Effective Wednesday, May 19, members who are fully vaccinated will NOT be required to wear face masks while exercising in the gym. We ask members who are not fully vaccinated to follow the guidelines put forth and continue to wear their masks until two weeks after their final Covid-19 dose. We will not be requiring proof of vaccination status.”

Clearly, patrons will have to keep their masks handy until policies begin to align. For now, each business will make the rules and hope that customers oblige. They are certainly stuck between making their customers comfortable and embracing the newest national and state guidelines. Perhaps everyone needs a little time to adjust to the new, or old, normal.