CLOSING A NON COMPLIANT BUSINESS

CLOSING A NON COMPLIANT BUSINESS

Over the weekend Mohawk Valley Wellness received a notification from the health department that they did not want to hear.

Their business was being shut down due to noncompliance with state and county health guidelines.

Is cracking down on businesses that they say dont comply with health guidleines.

News channel 2's brent kearney spoke to oneida county's public health director about what goes into making the decision to close a business.

Intro: oneida county director of public health phylis ellis says its a decision they never want to have to make given this economy, but says its something they have to do in order to stop the spread of covid-19.

Mohawk valley wellness in marcy was the latest business to receive a shut down notice from the county.

This came after the health department found people were not wearing masks inside of the building and because of that, people there got the virus.

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None .

None bartholomeo says: "i made the decision to not make anyone do anything to include not wearing a mask.

And because of that decision we have been ordered to be closed for 2 weeks."

But what goes into making that decision?

Ellis says: "many of those we have through a complaint process, you know that people are not living up to the guidelines that they attested to.

We do some investigative visits as well."

The health department also follows the data.

"we track cases and where they're coming from and who they're exposing in different businesses so between all of that we identify someone who is not in compliance and that's how we start that process."

Ellis says closures usually last a minimum of two weeks, the same period in which health experts say covid lives in the body.

Elis says so far the department has not issued that many closures.

"in general i think most businesses are trying to comply with all of the state guidelines.

And we're encouraged by many businesses who have not had cases, who's employees have not had cases.

That's our goal, to keep everybody safe.

Whether its the employer or employee or the patrons.

It could be a hairdresser or barber shop.

Whatever type of business it is, where you are having one on one contact with people you wanna ensure that they're being very safe."

Button: the health department also works in conjunction with mohawk valley crimestoppers.

A database in people can go on and report businesses.

The health department can also issue fines to buisnesses that are not compliant.

In the as coronavirus cases continue to rise across the area, the oneida county health department is105