Archive: Around Town

The Tompkins County Health Department announced Wednesday that essential businesses that need cloth masks for their employees are encouraged to make requests through an online form. Guidance on what businesses and organizations are essential is given by Empire State Development.

New York State Executive Order 202.16 states:

For all essential businesses or entities, any employees who are present in the workplace shall be provided and shall wear face coverings when in direct contact with customers or members of the public. Businesses must provide, at their expense, such face coverings for their employees. This provision may be enforced by local governments or local law enforcement as if it were an order pursuant to section 12 or 12-b of the Public Health Law. This requirement shall be effective Wednesday, April 15 at 8 p.m.

The form to request cloth masks for your essential business was made in partnership with the Tompkins Chamber of Commerce and other local mask-making efforts. Please fill out the form to make a request. You can also request hand sanitizer through the form. A Tompkins County official will follow up with you on where and when to pick up your designated masks.

Guidance on the use of masks can be found here.

Frank Kruppa, Public Health Director said "It has been incredible to see the outpouring of support from our community to help provide masks to essential workers. The emergency operations center has been able to coordinate the collection and production of masks that we are able to make available for immediate distribution." Kruppa continued "It's important that people remember that masks protect others from the wearer – essentially my mask protects you and your mask protects me."

Guidance continues to be that individuals should stay home unless absolutely necessary, including if you are an essential worker, have a medical need, or need groceries.

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