State’s mask mandate now in effect

By Bob Bauder

Trib Total Media

If it helps keep people healthy during the coronavirus pandemic, a statewide order requiring customers and employees of businesses to wear masks is OK, people in the region said Sunday evening.

It went into effect at 8 p.m.

The order, announced Wednesday by Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine, stipulates that businesses turn away customers who don’t wear masks.

Customers at a Harmar Sheetz said they could deal with it.

Some were wearing masks as they entered the store and pumped gas just before the deadline, but most were not.

“It makes sense and it’s reasonable, I think,” said Dom Zanotto, 18, of Lower Burrell. “I worked today and I saw a bunch of people weren’t wearing them.”

Zanotto, who works for Walmart, wasn’t wearing a mask, but he had one in his pocket and said he would follow the order.

Tracy Fields, 53, of Beaver Falls, who was in the area and stopped for gas was wearing a mask even though she doesn’t like it.

“It fogs up my glasses,” she said. “I’m following what they tell us we have to do. I don’t want to be sick and I don’t want anybody to be sick because of me.”

Matthew Cicolini, 22, of Springdale said he would don a mask before entering a business, but thinks some people take the order too far. He wasn’t wearing one on Sunday.

“I just think if you’re going to walk into a gas station or grocery store, then throw it on, but when you’re walking around or driving why wear it,” he said. “It doesn’t make sense.”

It made a lot of sense to Jasmine Collier, 22, of Arnold and Sabrina Seyal, 25, of New Kensington.

Seyal just graduated from nursing school and Collier is about to graduate. Both have been working in hospital wards housing covid-19 patients and both were masked.

“If people aren’t wearing them they can spread it to other people,” Collier said. “Let’s just wear the masks, get past the virus and get on with our lives.”

Lillie McHenry, 23, of Tarentum said she was undecided about how effective a mask might be in preventing the spread of coronavirus. McHenry wasn’t wearing a mask as she pumped gas.

“I feel it’s worth a try if it helps get things back and keeps us healthy,” she said. “I’m definitely pro getting back to work and getting things opened back up.”