TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — The Centers for Disease Control reversed course and is now recommending vaccinated people mask up indoors in areas with high transmission.
The Arizona Department of Health Services is following suit. Everyone in Arizona—except for those in Yuma and Cochise counties— is recommended to wear a mask.
RELATED: ADHS matches new CDC guidelines recommending masks indoors and in schools
Inside of Sit. Stay. Play. not much will change as a result of the new guidance from the CDC to mask up, even if vaccinated as the delta variant ravages through the U.S.
“In July we opened our lobby but all of our clients and our staff members, when interacting with clients, are wearing masks,” said Janet Galante, owner.
She said she’s kept the mask requirement for two reasons.
”I don’t think it’s my job as a business owner to police the actions of my clientele. So I don’t feel like I should be asking them if they’re vaccinated or ask to see a card, but at the same time my primary responsibility is to the health and well-being of my employees," she explained.
Those rules are why one client says she chose the dog daycare.
“I think these guys are super conscientious and I just feel sorry for him because I must be able to keep people feeling safe, keep employees, feeling safe. These are crazy times,” said Leslie Kanberg, client.
The loss of interactions with clients, while the lobby was closed, was the hardest part for manager Emily Hilyard.
“I actually do this the clients I have missed you know when you're just getting a dog from a door or from their vehicle. You're not saying very much you're not having that personal communication there,” said Hilyard.
Despite the challenge, she said she is grateful for Galante's safe approach.
“We want to care about others and we want others to care about us too,” said Galante.
She said the responsibility she has as a small business owner to keep her business safe is paramount.
“We're just trying to do the right thing —do the best that we can and then try to watch out for the health [and] the welfare of all of our clients," she said.
Businesses are not mandated to require masks in Pima County. The Governor notes new mask mandates from cities, counties, businesses, and schools are illegal under state law.
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