We own and operate Bozzo Family Vineyards LLC, a licensed Virginia farm winery near Purcellville, Loudoun County, Virginia.  We observe guidance from government agencies such as VDH, CDC, and FDA at our small business for our 5 employees, customers, and management. We follow strict Covid protocols for sanitation, hand washing, and earlier Virginia government imposed requirements for social distancing, capacity, outside service, and lockdowns, most of which have now all (thankfully) been rescinded. We supplied written training materials, barriers, nitrile gloves, disposable service wear, masks, including surgical, cloth face coverings, KN95 and N95, hand sanitizers, wash stations, Covid19 pay, and more our employees and customers. All of these mitigation tasks took time, training, money, and effort and many caused lost business which will not be recovered. We haven't had any instance of Covid19 at our business among our employees.

It is far past time that the VA government rescinded this "permanent" standard for a disease we are all now living with and managing. We don't need Virginia (or other) government agencies telling us to do what we already know to do, while imposing even more record and other requirements. We have all the incentives we need in times of worker shortages, higher costs, run-away inflation, and supplier shortages to protect our employees, customers, and businesses.  Just let us conduct our business and repeal this rule.   

As a small business owner in Virginia, I support the elimination of the Virginia Permanent Standard for Infectious Disease Prevention. The adoption of this proposal would be a great step in the right direction for small businesses across the Commonwealth.

Sincerely,

Stephen Bozzo, 1433 Harle PL SW, Leesburg, VA 20175
bozzofamilyvineyards1@verizon.net