WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — Some cities across the state are requiring everyone to wear masks in public, but that hasn't happened yet here in Central Georgia.
Instead, it's up to business owners to decide if their employees and customers wear a mask.
Last week, Macon-Bibb Mayor Robert Reichert urged businesses in town to impose a mask requirement and to deny service to customers who refused to wear one.
Businesses like Sushi Thai in Warner Robins say they require masks because they would rather be safe than sorry.
"What we do at Sushi Thai is really for the interest of everyone, not just for a few," says Owner Gigi Tebbe.
She says most of her customers have supported her mask policy.
"Majority of our customers still like what we do," she says. "You know, they really appreciate me trying to protect them."
But others have been hostile.
"The staff just gets tired of arguing," Tebbe says. "You give them options. Some of them make it into like a political thing, and for me it's not about politics, you know? This is about the safety of everyone, at least trying to minimize the spread."
Some of her staff members don't even feel safe coming to work because of those customers who don't want to follow her rules, but Tebbe says requiring masks is the right thing for her business.
William Peavy with Comics Plus in Macon says he doesn't want to risk infecting his staff.
"It's doesn't matter if you believe in it or not, I'm not going to jeopardize my safety, my customers' safety, or my employees' safety."
He's also had some resistance from customers.
"I'm gonna say about 80 percent have been completely OK with it. The other 20 percent, I mean, we've already had some confrontation over it," says Peavy.
At Heritage Memorial Funeral Home, they are recommending masks, but not requiring them.
"We feel like as a business, we have a lot of people in and a lot of people out, of course, and we want to do our part and try to keep everyone safe as a community," says General Manager Jason Moore.
All three businesses will provide a mask if you come to the door without one.
"Why not wear a mask? It's something very simple. I just don't know why," says Tebbe.
Cities like Atlanta, Savannah and Athens are all mandating masks, but so far Macon-Bibb and Houston County have not taken that step.
RELATED: 'Urge and plead': Macon Mayor Robert Reichert signs executive order urging people to wear masks
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