San Antonio businesses must post mask policies at entrances

SAN ANTONIO (KTSA News) – San Antonio and Bexar County are requiring businesses to post their mask policies at entrances as specified in an executive order signed by Mayor Ron Nirenberg and County Judge Nelson Wolff.

We’re saying that the business has to continue to post in a visible place their health policy, whatever that health policy will be,” said Wolff. “We think it’s important to the person coming to that business to know whether they’re entering a safe environment or not.”

The statewide mandate expired Wednesday and cities and counties can’t require residents to wear face coverings, but businesses are allowed to make their own rules.  Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales  says posting the COVID-19 protocols will make it clear to customers  and everyone involved.  If a customer fails to abide by the rules and fails to leave the premises, the owner can call police or sheriff’s deputies.

“If the customer is belligerent or combative, we’re asking the business owner not to take the law into their own hands, to please call the police. Let them handle it,” said Gonzales.

If the customer refuses to leave, the officer can arrest them on a charge of criminal trespassing.

Six more coronavirus  deaths were reported Tuesday evening, including a Hispanic male in his 30s.

There were 171 new COVID-19 cases  and the number of hospitalized patients dropped to 262, the lowest number since November.  Of those, 120 were in intensive care and 76 were on ventilators.