😷 Masks on 😷
Over the past few days, I've been working with Masks for America to provide facemasks to members of our community.
It's been a great way to connect with small business owners, community stakeholders, neighbors – and stop by some of my favorite restaurants. But the Trump administration has made wearing a face mask – an easy, inexpensive, and life-saving practice – deeply political. We've already seen what this lack of national leadership means, and we can't continue down this path. Sign the petition calling for a national mask mandate.
We know masks save lives. The research shows that wearing a mask reduces the spread of respiratory viruses emitted as droplets and aerosols. Something particularly important for vulnerable populations like the elderly, folks with compromised immune systems, and people without affordable health care access.
Health care providers, first responders, retail workers, and restaurant staff are all being exposed to the virus by people who aren't wearing masks. And people of color are disproportionately in essential frontline jobs that cannot be done remotely, furthering the risk of exposure to the virus.
It's estimated that lockdowns reduce GDP by 5%, roughly $1 trillion. That decrease is passed onto families through higher prices for goods and services, and fewer jobs. We need to reduce the spread of the virus so our economy can recover.
More soon,
