ORLANDO, Fla. – Downtown ambassadors with the City of Orlando spent Thursday afternoon handing out personal protection equipment to several small businesses.
“It’s incredibly helpful,” said Monica McCowan, executive chef with the Artisan’s Table. “We still have tons of guests coming by without masks.”
Orange County’s mask mandate is almost one week old, and government leaders said they were ready to jump in and help some of them adhere to the new rules.
Dominique Greco, with the Downtown Orlando Development Board, told News 6 Orange County donated 225,000 disposable face masks and 5,000 cloth masks to be distributed to downtown businesses.
On Thursday, ambassadors spent the second day distributing care kits, which each contain 1,000 disposable face masks and 25 cloth masks.
“Wherever a customer is that should be wearing (a mask), that’s where those kits need to go,” Greco said.
“We’ve had a mix reactions from the customers who are joining us when we tell them they have to wear their mask when they’re not seated at the table,” said McCowan. “So far, we haven’t had any major issues or anybody refusing.”
The PPE distribution comes the same day as record-setting numbers were recorded in Orange County for new coronavirus cases -- 730 positive tests reported on Wednesday.
Orange County Sheriff John Mina told News 6 his deputies have been asked to help the Department of Business and Professional Regulation by reporting businesses that are not adhereing to the social distancing and face mask guidelines.
“I have heard employees tell people you can’t come in, you have to get a mask, and people leave, they go get a mask, so that part is going good,” said Mina. “I think that’s working.”
Orange County will continue its own distribution of PPE to local businesses. More information can be found here.