BUFFALO, N.Y. (WBEN) – New cases of COVID-19 are rising in Erie County and because the state gave local officials power to implement masking rules, it's possible Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz could issue a mask mandate.
For now, he said there is no county-wide mask mandate.
However, the county will reconsider for all indoor buildings should caseloads and hospitalizations "increase significantly as time progresses"
Some aren't happy about the talks masks are coming back.
"It's overpoliticking and everything," one woman said. "This whole mandate regarding masks and vaccinations, it's up to the individual. I have somebody in my house who is a high-risk person who the doctor said not to get the vaccine for health reasons. For her to get the vaccine when she has severe allergies and ailments could be deadly for her."
Others begrudgingly accept the masks returning.
"This COVID is getting out of hand and if it's one way to stop it and get our lives back together, I'll do it"
"I teach and we wore masks all through last year and I think the talk is probably maybe doing it again starting in the fall. For me, even though I got the vaccine, it doesn't bother me that much."
"If we have to do it we have to do it. But it's a shame that more people aren't getting vaccinated which would really eradicate COVID."
Erie County currently has a rate of 33 new COVID infections per 100,000 residents, according to the CDC, and is listed as an area with a "moderate" level of transmission. 69.2% of eligible Erie County residents have been vaccinated.
