Staff and customers at Sissy’s Cafe on Uptown Kingston are already following the Ulster County Health Commissioner’s new advisory.

Commissioner Carol Smith is “strongly recommending” all county residents wear masks in public spaces “regardless of vaccination status,” the advisory read.

County health officials reported a spike in active COVID-19 cases in November.

There are currently just under 1,000 active cases in the county, according to the county government’s COVID-19 dashboard.

That is close to the same number of active cases reported in April 2020, toward the beginning of the pandemic.

Management at Sissy’s has kept the same COVID-19 safety policies for the entire pandemic to date.

“Even as things got lax, [we] have tried to maintain a level of care that it seems like is still necessary,” barista Amelia Rice said.

Rice said there have not been many uncomfortable encounters over masks.

“We are such a center of our community here that everybody has a lot of respect for each other,” she said. “It definitely hasn’t been much of an issue.”

Two employees of other businesses said they have had tense moments over the last 18 months when patrons became angry over mask policies.

Uptown Kingston neighbor Britt Amina said she is not pleased with the federal government’s handling of the pandemic, but fully understands the local mask recommendation.

“These are clearly unprecedented times,” she said. “A little inconvenience for the greater good.”

Just a week prior to this mask recommendation, County Executive Pat Ryan declared a state of emergency.

Ryan said the declaration allows the county government to more quickly procure testing supplies and temporarily re-assign county workers to other jobs if necessary.

Just under 70% of the county’s population is fully vaccinated.

Ryan said the county’s vaccination centers can take walk-in appointments in some cases, though he recommends booking an appointment.

He is also asking anyone who is at least six months removed from being fully vaccinated to get a booster at any of the vaccination centers.