It was with some surprise recently that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention eased the face mask mandate with the recommendation that "fully vaccinated people can resume activities without wearing a mask or physically distancing, except where required by federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules and regulations, including local business and workplace guidance."
That last part is important. If you, as a business owner, still are uncomfortable about exposure to COVID-19 — for your employees and your customers — then you have the right to encourage continued use of face masks within your establishment.
For those businesses that want to dispense with the requirement, it might behoove them to continue other safety protocols, such as sanitizing public surfaces, socially distancing chairs in the waiting area and providing hand sanitizer bottles at the front counter and work areas.
The health experts still are worried that COVID-19 cases might spike again, or another variant might hit the population.
The pandemic may also be an omen that other contagions may be lurking in our future. Just like we expect health agencies to be prepared for the next inevitable pandemic, businesses should also be prepared.
Dealerships would be wise to keep a supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) such as gloves and face masks, sanitizing cleaners and hand sanitizers in the stockroom. (Remember the panic and shortages of PPE a year ago?)
If you bought special sanitizing tools and equipment, it might be worth hanging on to them, and even using them in the shop periodically.
COVID-19 isn't the only communicable disease around and some customers, and employees, would appreciate not being exposed to germs from others who may have a common cold or the flu.
Those plexiglass barriers at the front counters might be worth keeping as a permanent feature to protect your service personnel, and customers, from sneezing and coughing individuals.
Nothing shows you care more than maintaining a clean and healthy work environment for your employees and a sanitized public space for your customers.
