BUFFALO, N.Y. — Governor Andrew Cuomo signed an executive order on Sunday requiring all essential businesses to provide employees with face covers. Employers must do it for free and the order goes into effect Wednesday at 8 p.m.
One of the essential businesses it includes is Osteria 166.
"I think we all have to do our part to be safer," said Nick Pitillo, owner of Osteria 166.
Pitillo also owns the Villaggio restaurant in Ellicottville.
He says a few weeks ago, he had to layoff his 60 employees. His restaurants now have a little over 20 employees working again.
Pitillo just got face masks and face shields for all of them.
Per Cuomo's executive order, all essential employees will wear face coverings when "in direct contact with customers or members of the public."
Though Pitillo says his employees will be wearing them behind the scenes as well.
"We're wearing face shields anytime anyone is around any food at all or any people at all just to be safe and protect ourselves and the others," Pitillo said.
He is using face shields courtesy of Orchard Park's Professional Plastics.
An employee there tells 2 On Your Side the company has made about a million face shields during this pandemic and have about three million orders.
Mia DiPasquale works at a Dairy Queen in Niagara County.
She says her boss is also giving everyone instructions on how to make masks, if they prefer those over the ones she will provide them.
"It's not only protecting yourself in general, but it's also protecting all those customers you come into contact with. I like the idea a lot. I wish that we had gotten them sooner," DiPasquale said.