Medical-grade masks should be standard for indoor public spaces and workplaces, say local business leaders

The heads of Waterloo region's business community are asking the region and the province to recommend medical-grade masks as the standard for use in businesses and indoor public spaces. 

The Cambridge Chamber of Commerce, Waterloo Region Economic Development Corporation and the Greater Kitchener Waterloo Chamber of Commerce issued an open letter Monday to Premier Doug Ford and Regional Chair Karen Redman. 

The letter said recommending medical grade masks could be a simple measure to prevent infection and keep schools and businesses open. 

"We're suggesting that that the criteria be raised, the bar be raised, so to speak, to mask up," Greg Durocher, president and CEO of the Cambridge Chamber of Commerce, told CBC Kitchener-Waterloo's The Morning Edition. 

Durocher said medical-grade masks are better able to prevent the spread of infection than cloth masks, though he said people could still opt to wear a cloth mask on top of a surgical one.

He and his fellow business leader are not asking for N-95 masks to be recommended but he said people could choose to wear those for greater protection. 

Currently, the region supports the Public Health Agency of Canada recommendation to choose masks made of at least three layers including a filter layer.

In an email to CBC Kitchener-Waterloo, the region's Medical Officer of Health Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang wrote that a non-medical mask or face covering is most effective when worn correctly, "fits snugly, with no gaps and covers your nose, mouth and chin."

'Cannot afford another lockdown'

The open letter suggests the recommendation should be imposed "everywhere," including schools, public transit, shopping, businesses and workplaces.

Durocher said implementing this is crucial for the survival of some businesses as COVID-19 numbers start to slowly rise in the community.

"If we don't do that, we are going to be longer at getting to a more balanced and profitable economy. And so if businesses want to stay open, which they need to stay open at this point, we simply cannot afford another lockdown," he said.

Durocher said the business leaders are working with local suppliers to try and get masks out to businesses. He also suggests the federal government should be working to distribute more Canadian-made masks in the community.

A request for comment to the region and province was not received in time for publication.