New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed an executive order Thursday that allows businesses to turn away people who are not wearing a mask or face covering.
"That store owner has a right to protect themselves," Cuomo said. "That store owner has a right to protect the other patrons in that store. You don’t want to wear a mask, fine. But you don’t have a right to then go into that store if that store owner doesn’t want you to."
Cuomo said the order will reduce conflicts between business owners and customers who don't want to wear a mask. The governor stressed masks are a helpful tool to help reduce the spread of the virus.
"The masks work, they work," Cuomo said. "And we have to culturalize the masks, we have to customize the masks for New York, to get New Yorkers to wear them."
People in New York are already required to wear face coverings when they're out in public. Many stores already require people to wear masks to enter.
