Washington – Business Roundtable today issued the following statement calling for mandatory use of face coverings amid surging coronavirus infections:
"Rising infection rates around the country are putting public health and our economy at grave risk. Failure to bring the pandemic under control will have devastating, long-term consequences for millions of Americans.
"One of the most effective things we can all do to protect public health and the economy is to wear face coverings in public settings, especially when other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain. Business Roundtable applauds the many companies that are protecting their employees and customers by mandating the use of face coverings indoors consistent with CDC guidelines. We encourage every company to adopt this practice and hope that all Americans will adopt the use of face coverings to protect their families, friends, neighbors, and our economy."
Business Roundtable began calling for consistent federal and state guidelines on safety measures, including face coverings, in April, and recently co-signed a letter with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other leading business associations to support a national mask standard implemented locally. Business Roundtable has also launched a series of COVID-19 safety PSA ads as part of a public education campaign to further encourage the use of face coverings to address the upward trend of COVID-19 cases in several states.