A new San Antonio and Bexar rule will require all businesses to clearly post their pandemic mask policies so customers can decide whether they feel safe entering.
The new order, announced at Tuesday night’s COVID-19 briefing, is effective Wednesday, the day Gov. Greg Abbott’s statewide mask order ends. It applies to all businesses, whether or not they will continue to require masks of customers and employees.
“We think it’s important for the person coming into that business to know whether they’re entering a safe environment or not, and to let them make that decision,” County Judge Nelson Wolff said at the briefing.
Abbott’s order — announced last week in contradiction of Centers for Disease Control guidance — no longer mandates mask use in public places. However, businesses can implement their own mask rules and other COVID safety protocols.
During Tuesday’s briefing, District Attorney Joe Gonzales said his office can bring criminal trespassing charges against customers who enter businesses without masks and refuse to leave or cover up. He urged owners to call the police if customers become belligerent over their policies.
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This article appears in Feb 24 – Mar 9, 2021.
