AUSTIN, Texas — The rules are changing in Texas as people wave goodbye to their mask if they choose and businesses can reopen at full capacity.
However, that answer is not so clear-cut for businesses in Austin-Travis County, where officials are continuing to require masks despite Gov. Greg Abbott's executive order last Tuesday to end the mask mandate.
This has left businesses in limbo trying to figure out how to enforce the new rules while avoiding any problems.
"What has happened with this is we are taking the responsibility of keeping people safe off of the government's hands," said Dixie Elizabeth Patrick, the executive director of the Austin Independent Business Alliance and the Local Economies Council.
Businesses faced a similar sticky situation last summer when the mask mandate was going into place.
Despite people's thoughts on wearing a mask, Patrick said the mandate was a helpful protection for businesses to avoid conflict, but now that extra protection is gone.
While the City and State battle out whether or not masks are required, mask enforcement is ultimately left up to each business.
Patrick hopes all goes smoothly in the coming weeks. She also has some advice for business owners to avoid any conflict if someone does not want to wear their mask:
- Decide on a policy before opening business doors today, and have a reason for that decision to explain to customers.
- Keep masks on-hand in case a customer says they do not have or forgot a mask.
- If a customer refuses to put on a mask, be empathetic. Let them know their business is wanted and they can shop with them in other ways, including curbside or online.
- Make sure there are physical barriers staff can stand behind (like a host stand) to provide distance between them and customers.
If a conflict gets out of hand, that is when Patrick said it is a good idea to call 911.
As businesses continue to navigate new challenges that arise, Patrick said it is important that customers put aside their own opinions and understand the tough decisions business owners have to make for themselves.
"My big message to customers is to know that local business owners are doing everything they can within their power to keep their employees safe, to keep their customers safe, and to keep themselves safe and to stay in business through this really, really challenging time," Patrick said.
On KVUE Daybreak, Austin Mayor Steve Adler said he appreciates all the businesses that will continue to require wearing masks. He said people should be wearing masks because "it's the right thing to do."
"It keeps them and their families safe. It enables other people to keep their families safe. It protects our essential workers," Adler said. "My hope is, that with the law being very unambiguous in our city, that businesses can be unambiguous. But ultimately, we can't enforce our way to compliance. We've never been able to for the last year. This is about what a community decides to do to keep itself safe."
The Austin Police Department released the following statement Wednesday:
"The APD will continue to focus on education, awareness and voluntary compliance of the mask mandate under the existing health authority rules that were initially adopted in July 2020. At the request of a business owner or property owner, APD may begin the Criminal Trespass Notice process if the business owner or property owner has requested the patron to leave and they do not comply with the owner's request."
PEOPLE ARE ALSO READING: