Essential workers like those working in grocery, meat and food processing, and health care, have been keeping Virginians healthy, fed, and safe by continuing to do their jobs on the front lines since this pandemic began. The danger they face has not gone away, and as more people go back to work and out of their houses, the risk to those on the front lines is only going to increase. At least 164 workers in these industries have gotten sick and 2 have died. To me, that means these jobs are high risk, and I encourage you to include grocery, meat and food processing, and all health care workers in the high risk category under these regulations.

In addition, workers in these industries have been required to wear masks for months, which protects them from each other, and in grocery stores, protects customers from the employees. Unfortunately, there has been no enforceable requirement for customers to wear masks, which is the only thing that would give a worker protection if a customer comes in carrying the virus. I encourage you to make masks a requirement in all retail stores!

Finally, many meat and food processing facilities have put up plastic or other physical barriers on processing lines to help slow the spread of the disease. These are inadequate when workers are in close contact with each other for hours. Line speeds need to be slowed so that proper, six foot, social distancing can be maintained at all times. I encourage you to require employers slow line speeds and implement real social distancing!