Elma, NY (WBEN) Calling it a matter of life and death, Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz implored residents to heed social distancing and mask wearing guidelines as COVID positive test rates are on the rise.
"To those who are thinking this is just politics and those in the political arena who are attacking it as a political measure, it's not," Poloncarz said. "This is real. This is not a hoax. This is not a power grab. The last thing I want to do is spend all my time dealing with COVID-19. As long as it's in our community, I will." He noted most of the county has positive test rates of more than five percent.
Poloncarz said Governor Andrew Cuomo will announce on Wednesday that parts of Erie County will advance into an orange or red zone.
There are a number of communities within Erie County that are of increased concern and Poloncarz identified the Town of Elma among them with a rate of 11.8 percent.
Elma Supervisor Wayne Clark says there is cooperation from residents. "People are social distancing. They're wearing the masks. We tell our employees be careful what you do in your off time. We can't tell them what to do but we can guide them," says Clark. "We've had a summer of no town wide events, but the people of Elma are doing what needs to be done."
Clark says he's trying to work with businesses in case there could be restrictions with an orange or red zone downgrade from Cuomo. "They're the heart of our communities. It's very important to the community," says Clark. "I would think this would affect restaurants and hopefully, they'll be able to survive with just take out. Obviously outdoor dining will be limited."
