Chris DeBolt

Ontario County County Administrator

Office of County Administrator Brian Young
Deputy County Administrator
Municipal Building
County.Administrator@ontariocountyny.gov 20 Ontario Street Cindy Abraszek
www.ontariocountyny.gov Canandaigua, New York 14424 Confidential Secretary to the
(585) 396-4400 County Administrator

Media Release
For Immediate Release
For more information, contact:
Chris DeBolt, County Administrator
Christopher.DeBolt@ontariocountyny.gov
585-396-4400

Canandaigua, NY – December 13, 2021

County Administrator Chris DeBolt issued the following statement today regarding Governor Kathy
Hochul’s vaccine or mask mandate that went into effect this morning:

Ontario County is still working to fully understand the enforcement obligations, mechanisms and
impacts contained in the Governor’s vaccine or mask mandate that went into effect at 10am this
morning for all establishments that are not private residences.

Ontario County continues to urge all eligible residents to get vaccinated, get boosted and mask up when
in public settings. The County also lacks the staff necessary to enforce a mandate of this kind across the
county.

Given our limited resources, and the toll the pandemic has already taken on our Public Health staff, we
need to focus our limited resources on the most efficient and impactful public health intervention
strategies. For Ontario County, that includes continuing vaccine and booster distribution, facilitating
testing in schools to keep children in the classroom, and conducting case investigations and cluster and
outbreak management protocols.

The Finger Lakes region is experiencing a large surge in COVID cases, hospitalizations, and an alarming
increase in deaths. We urge every eligible resident to get vaccinated or boosted. In addition, please
mask when in public settings to help protect others and keep you and your loved ones safe this holiday
season. Our beleaguered healthcare staff need our community’s help to slow the increase in cases and
hospitalizations before our hospital systems are overwhelmed.

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