With controversy surrounding COVID-19 face masks, how do you figure out what’s best for you? There are many opinions and studies out there, but it’s certainly not a black and white matter.

Some believe wearing a mask is vital to stopping the spread of COVID-19, while others believe it can harm your immune system. With such drastically different opinions about COVID-19 face masks, what should you do as a business owner?

An article from UT Southwestern Medical Center states that COVID-19 is rather aggressive in the way it spreads. Of course, this article was published over the summer, so new data might be necessary to find the truth. However, this article states that wearing a mask can reduce the spreading of the virus to about 3%.

While COVID-19 face masks might lower the spread of the virus, some believe side effects will be a part of wearing a mask, too. An article from MSN.com details some of the negative side effects of wearing a face mask, which include but are not limited to:

• Interfere with your eyesight
• Restrict airflow
• Cause you to draw closer during conversations
• Provide a false sense of security
• Spread diseases if not washed properly

These side effects, combined with the belief that COVID-19 isn’t as dangerous as its media portrayal, have influenced many not to wear masks when they go out.

What are You to Do as a Business Owner?

The controversy and confusion around COVID-19 face masks might have you wondering about your choices as a business owner. You can try to go against the government and end up with fines or having your business shut down. The other option is to adopt the necessary policies to open your establishment, continue to make money, feed your family, and live your life.

As a business owner, you also can provide COVID-19 face masks to employees and others. You can even add your logo to the masks to help with brand awareness. By using branded face masks, you can help prevent the spread of COVID-19 or, at least, keep your business open so you can feed your family.

Business owners will likely be required to follow local government mandates when it’s time to open, though your choices might be different if you don’t own a business. Whether this means employees have to wear masks, customers have to wear masks, or you have to limit capacity, it’s better to open your business with restrictions in place than stay closed. 

Providing branded masks is ideal if you’re in an area where employees must wear masks. You can add your logo to a three-layer mask or even a neck gaiter and give them to your employees. You can even design your custom masks to match your uniform with the correct colours used in your logo. 

While you can provide reusable masks for employees, this isn’t your only option. You can also provide disposable masks if you prefer. These tend to have a lower upfront cost and might be favourable for your employees due to their lightweight nature.

By providing masks for employees, you will keep a uniform look throughout your business. Custom reusable masks also increase brand awareness when your team uses these masks during day-to-day tasks.