Now that New York State is following the Centers for Disease Control recommendations, vaccinated individuals can go without a mask. Or can they?

The decision to require masks in a business setting remains up to the business. If a business is uncertain about employee vaccination status or concerned about customer safety, it is perfectly fine to continue to require masks for all employees and customers.

Governor Cuomo this past week announced that New York would follow the CDC’s Interim Public Health Recommendations for Fully Vaccinated People. Generally, the CDC says that vaccinated individuals do not need to wear masks or socially distance – but that unvaccinated still need to wear masks and remain physically distanced from others. Per the CDC guidance, New York State is still requiring masks for all in a number of settings including healthcare, Pre-K through 12 schools, nursing homes, homeless shelters, and public transportation.

While the unvaccinated may relish the freedom of leaving a mask behind, we continue to caution everyone to keep a mask handy. Many businesses may still require masks for all, rather than try to determine who is vaccinated and who is unvaccinated.

If your business chooses to require proof of vaccine status, you can look into the state’s Excelsior Pass program – designed to provide proof of vaccination without providing a direct view of your personal health records. The pass is HIPPA compliant.

The Chamber of Commerce and MAST continue to urge all local residents who are eligible to get vaccinated. At this time, all persons aged twelve or older are eligible. Vaccination clinics are being held at a number of schools specifically designed for the convenience of students and their parents who want to have their child vaccinated.

COVID vaccines are safe, effective, free, and readily available. To find a provider convenient to you, check out the Chautauqua County Health Department website, or visit vaccinehound.org/Chautauqua or The Chautauqua Center website at tcchealth.org.

The rise in the vaccinated population is what has led us to this point, but the pandemic is not over. Variants continue to spread as the virus finds unvaccinated hosts. We strongly recommend vaccination as a way to protect yourself, your family, your friends, your community, and our economy.

CHAMBER COUNTY EXECUTIVE BREAKFAST ONLINE IS JUNE 4

Each year the Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce provides an opportunity for local businesses to ask questions of the County Executive. This year’s event will once again be held online at 8:30am, Friday, June 4. Our guest will be Paul “PJ” Wendel.

This online format will allow you to simply and easily participate whether from your home or your office. We encourage everyone to pick up some breakfast or coffee from your favorite local takeout restaurant, and then join us online promptly at 8:30. You can register online to get the Zoom webinar link for this event.

The 2021 Chamber County Executive Breakfast is sponsored by Chautauqua Institution, Jamestown Mattress Company, Media One Radio Group, OBSERVER, Phillips-Lytle LLP, The Post-Journal, Serta Mattress, Southern Tier Environments for Living, and UPMC Chautauqua. Register now through our online calendar at www.chautauquachamber.org.

POP-UP RETAIL MAY PROVIDE NEW SALES OPPORTUNITIES

Has your business considered pop-up retail? Pop-up shops are generally designed to be temporary locations offering goods for sale for a limited time only. Now, the Chamber of Commerce is working with a group of partners to create a different type of pop-up: one that would provide a year-round presence in a growing local market.

A pop-up retail location in downtown Jamestown would offer a low cost and low risk opportunity to increase sales, test products in a new market, reach new customers, or test a physical retail location or a new location. Downtown Jamestown offers high visibility storefront locations, a wide variety of event programming (especially as pandemic regulations continue to be lifted), local attractions such as the National Comedy Center and Lucy-Desi Museum, an active weekly public market, hockey tournaments that bring in visitors, year-round entertainment at local theaters, and bus tour traffic.

The Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce is working with a variety of partners in this endeavor. The Resource Center has established a draft business model that would allow for a fully operational year-round storefront where vendors could rotate in and out. The site would feature a professional staff supervisor and also be a training ground as The Resource Center continues its mission to train the disabled for real world work through experience and supervision. The Jamestown Renaissance Corporation is working to identify locations and acting as a liaison with property owner. The Small Business Development Center is providing small business assistance and supporting the recruitment of retailers. The Gebbie Foundation is supporting this development model.

The Chamber of Commerce will focus its efforts on recruiting retail vendors for the space as well as marketing the store as an extension of its new ShopLocalCHQ brand: already providing an online shopping and marketing platform as well as a gift card that serve local businesses.

There is still work to be done to bring this program to fruition. The Chamber and SBDC are meeting with local businesses that may have an interest in participating. Factors that are still being determined are the costs for vendors including the potential of square footage or sales commission agreements. The Chamber and The Resource Center are also working to convene an advisory council with community members to finalize details.

If you are a seasonal business looking for off-season sales, or if you have a retail location that is outside of Jamestown, we invite your questions and input. For more information, please contact Todd Tranum at ttranum@chautauquachamber.org.