Chamber: Wearing masks should be made law

The TT Chamber of Industry and Commerce has called for stricter measures to curb the spread of the covid19 virus as the number of cases rises.

In a media release the Chamber said while the government has emphasised mitigating the effects of the virus and limiting the spread, there were people who still failed to follow the health protocols.

This, it noted, could risk either cluster or community spread of the virus.

The Chamber therefore called for the wearing of masks to be made law.

“Given that we are faced with a public health emergency, if this policy can be made law by an order, with a penalty for non-compliance, the Chamber supports its immediate implementation.”

It said a study commissioned by the University of Cambridge showed that countries such as Vietnam, France and Japan had reduced the spread of the covid19 virus significantly through the mandatory wearing of masks in public spaces.

The Chamber added that while businesses were doing their part with “No mask, no service” and sanitation through handwashing, everyone had a responsibility.

The Chamber said this has not been the case and businesses also needed to step up their health and safety protocols.

“Businesses too, should where possible keep a detailed log of persons entering and leaving their buildings, inclusive of names, addresses and contact information should there be a need for contact tracing.”

The Chamber said the country’s long-term economic future depended on the public following the guidelines of wearing masks, washing hands frequently, staying home if they are sick, getting tested, and limiting physical contact.