BUFFALO, N.Y. (WBEN) – Despite the governor’s lifting of cluster zone restrictions, the challenges of operating amid the COVID-19 pandemic continue for businesses and schools.
Many businesses, including gyms, barber shops, restaurants, are now allowed to increase their capacities. Schools no longer have a testing requirement to stay open in the cluster zones. No doubt, it’s caused some relief in the business and education community.
“It means a lot,” Dottie Gallagher, President and CEO of the Buffalo Niagara Partnership, said. “I think the fact that the maximum capacity percentage goes up will make a meaningful difference for all the businesses that are impacted.”
She believes the removal of the restrictions will especially benefit restaurants, which at one point weren’t even allowed to have indoor dining. Even though indoor dining was allowed again in the orange zone on January 14, the removal of the cluster zone means restaurants can have a maximum of ten people at a single table.
Small businesses, though, continue to struggle amid the pandemic. The Buffalo Niagara Partnership reports that 44% of their members saw a decrease in sales and revenue due to COVID-19. While the majority of businesses have a favorable perception of the local business climate, it’s decreased since last year. 66% of businesses think New York State is becoming less business friendly.
The top concern facing local employers is the long-term impact of COVID-19.
“In the manufacturing cluster, for example, employment is up since pre-COVID,” Gallagher said. “But we’ve taken tremendous hits in hospitality and retail, tens of thousands of jobs in the community. Many of those jobs are low wage jobs.”
She’s hopeful the economy will return to normal once we reach herd immunity, quantified by the governor’s office as 70% to 90% of residents receiving the vaccine. Gallagher said it’s critical to continue to patronize small businesses to help the local economy.
Removing the testing mandate is a relief for schools that now have one less obstacle in the way of operations.
“We all remain steadfast in our commitment to the health and safety of our students and staff,” Michael Cornell, Superintendent at Hamburg Schools and President of the Erie Niagara Superintendent’s Association, said. “We are going to faithfully adhere to rigorous cleaning protocols, mask-wearing, physical distancing, hand and respiratory hygiene, monitoring symptoms, and staying home when we don’t feel well as the central aspects of life in schools still. While testing in schools may be coming to an end, all of those other things that truly keep people safe in schools will remain.”
Testing was also expensive for schools.
While there’s less burden for schools, Cornell still isn’t sure whether students will be back full-time before the end of the school year in June.
“Predicting in the COVID-era is risky business,” Cornell said.