coronavirus

Face Masks Headed to Small, Essential Businesses

Eligible businesses can receive up to two masks per worker.

NBC Universal, Inc.

The state is teaming up with a business group to make sure essential workers have free face coverings for when they are on the job.

Those businesses are scrambling.

“Everybody is looking for masks. No doubt about it,” said Joe Brennan, the president and CEO of the Connecticut Business and Industry Association.

It comes after the governor ordered staff at essential businesses to wear a face covering if social distancing is not possible.

Brennan says his organization is helping the state hand out a big supply of surgical masks to small, essential businesses with 50 or less workers.

“The state has 500,000 masks. So they are limiting it to two per employee. So no more than 100 per company. There will hopefully be more supply after that. The state is buying PPE in the millions of units,” said Brennan.

In a statement, Governor Ned Lamont wrote in part:

“The more proactive measures we can take to prevent the spread of this virus and keep everyone healthy, the sooner we’ll be able to reopen operations…”

Companies need to register online and the free masks will be given out, with the assistance of local communities, starting this week.

Brennan says planning is underway in preparation for more businesses hopefully being able to resume operations in late May.

“We really want to be prepared as more businesses open, hopefully sooner rather than later. They’re going to need masks also. So we got to keep that supply coming,” said Brennan.

Contact Us