Bay Area Businesses Challenged With New Mask Guidelines Amid COVID Delta Surge
SAN MATEO (KPIX 5) -- With the newest federal and state guidance recommending people wear masks indoors in areas of high disease transmission regardless of vaccination status, many businesses are trying to figure out how to move forward with yet another change.
Some establishments will continue to require masks, some spots will soon require masks, and others will still leave it up to the customer.
At the Sandwich Spot in downtown San Mateo, manager Juan Morales told KPIX 5 more of his customers wear masks than don't, but they don't require all customers to wear them. As the guidelines have changed several times, he says some don't know whether or not they have to.
"They walk in and start taking it out and we're like, you don't have to if you're vaccinated but it would be nice if you did," he said. "The recommendations and all of that is just confusing everybody. So I do think there should just be a new mandate."
The new guidance doesn't change a thing for Lewis Cohen's B Street Books. He's required masks inside his business since they were able to reopen.
"Most of my customers comply and are happy to do so," he said. "In particular, I'm worried about the kids."
Cohen doesn't plan on changing his policy until he sees cases go down and the vaccination rate going up. He'd also like to see kids getting vaccinated as soon as they can.
"I don't know what day that's going to be, but I hope it's soon. I'm tired of wearing a mask," he said.
At the longtime Burlingame place for sweets, Preston's Candy and Ice Cream, owner Irene Preston acknowledged the guidance can be confusing. She says they're airing on the side of caution and requiring customers and staff to mask up.
"It's a little confusing, but I'm requiring everybody to wear a mask because we're a family business," she said. "We have many children who cannot get a vaccine."
