I am writing to express my full support for this proposal. As a veterinarian, I am an essential employee. My work entails that I interact with animal patients all day, in a closed building with dozens of employees for 10-12 straight hours. There is virtually no aspect of patient care that does not involve close contact with other colleagues, from performing a physical examination, to obtaining blood, to performing a medical or surgical procedure. Doctors, technicians and assistants are literally shoulder to shoulder touching each other as we hold patients during these procedures. As someone over 60, my risk for severe COVID-19 associated disease is high. Therefore, every effort needs to be in place to reduce risk of employees such as myself and in numerous other essential workplaces.

The reality is that although some workplaces have put in place some protocols for safety, there is no oversight of these policies and adherence is up to the employer. I have seen this first hand, where masks are required in my practice, but are frequently taken off, even when people are not able to maintain appropriate distance. 

Despite working in a field of medical professionals, I was ridiculed for being the first one in my workplace to wear a mask (I was doing so about one month before the workplace required it). If this can occur in a workplace where people have a medical background, I can only imagine the dismissal of the severity of COVID-19 that occurs in places where people are not medically trained. The state cannot expect people to truly act in a way that will safeguard not only themselves, but more importantly other individuals. 

Many people simply do not understand that the way to best balance the economic health of the state/country and the health of society is to keep as many people disease free as possible. People are not aware, or simply do not care that wearing a mask may save someone else's life. This is a societal, national and global issue. Sadly, we cannot count on individuals or private companies to do all they need to do to ensure that people stay healthy AND stay working. 

I am personally appalled and bewildered by the negative attitudes towards masks and other social distance regulations to keep people safe. People adhere to wearing clothes in public, and that doesn't even save someone's life. Regardless of the nonsensical opposition to mask wearing, the state must take the lead and put regulations in place. I support individual rights, but only to the point that they do not kill someone else. Therefore, I am writing to state my full support of this measure.