SANFORD, Fla. – Dolores Romano is the owner of Totally Yours gift shop in Sanford and starting on Wednesday, she’ll have to tell her customers they’ll need to wear a mask to go inside.
“I have mixed feelings. I mean I know it was coming and I’m glad but at the same time it’s difficult especially when you have a store, you have classes, you have things going on,” Romano said.
The mask mandate goes into effect in Seminole County on Wednesday. Leaders initially said they were not going to issue one out of concerns over enforcement but that all changed as the county saw a surge in coronavirus cases.
"We have to do what we have to do not just for ourselves but for the people around us you know," Romano said.
Officials said businesses can face penalties for not following the rules, though for now, there are no penalties for individuals.
“I have a chance of getting fined $500 the first time and then it goes up from that and they can take my license away, so they are telling businesses that we will have to be the ones to enforce it,” said Theo Hollerbach, owner of Hollerbach’s Restaurant.
He said he supports the mask mandate in hopes of keeping his customers healthy from the virus.
”To take care of your community you have to do the right thing,” Hollerbach said.
Orange and Osceola Counties, along with Daytona Beach, are also mandating masks.
[READ MORE: Central Florida counties weigh recommending or adopting mandatory mask orders ]
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