NY gym announces it will not comply with Gov. Hochul’s new mask mandate

Tim Dougherty and Ron and Michelle Sember talked about how the state of New York's draconian COVID restrictions is completely "destroying business," and how they have simply had enough.

The new mask mandate is currently set to last through Jan. 15, 2022.

Dougherty was asked how the original mask mandate affected business negatively, and he replied:

"We had a ton of pushback. You know, people don't like to exercise in masks. Exercise is hard enough and you know, to make somebody… mask up and to run or lift it, it's ridiculous."

"We had some people… the real avid people pushed through it, but a lot of people didn't."

Michelle Sember was asked, "Are you seeing more people enrolling because they want to find a gym where they don't have to wear a mask?" She stated that their stance against the mask mandate has indeed made the gym more popular:

"Our membership has increased dramatically. We probably get five signups to every one cancellation because of the mask mandate. They don't agree with us not allowing it, but you know, we have increased our membership."

"What about the threat of a $1000 fine by flying in the face of what the governor wants you to do?" an interviewer then asked Ron Sember, who responded with:

"Back in March of 2020, it was supposed to be a two-week shutdown to slow down the spread, and that turned into a seven-month close-down, which in turn has completely ruined our business, never to return to pre-pandemic status."

"The fine is irrelevant at this point. They've already destroyed our businesses."