| PHOENIX (August 6, 2020)—The Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry and the Arizona Medical Association are launching Be Safe, Be Open AZ!, a partnership between the business community and Arizona’s physician community to promote the critical safety measures needed to slow the spread of the coronavirus and protect the state’s residents, employees, and healthcare heroes on the front lines of fighting the pandemic.
The campaign encourages all Arizonans to do their part to help prevent the spread of coronavirus, while simultaneously assisting businesses in safely and responsibly strengthening Arizona’s economic activity. The campaign’s messages remind Arizonans that the health and safety guidance issued by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) is only effective if Arizona businesses, employers and residents adhere to it and take it seriously.
“If we want to preserve the progress we’ve made over the last several weeks and not backslide toward more infections and overstressed hospitals and risk more business closures, then we all have to adhere to heightened safety protocols,” Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry President and CEO Glenn Hamer said. “The Arizona business community is deeply invested in the health of its employees, its customers, and the public.”
Be Safe, Be Open AZ! encourages all businesses to:
- Require use of face coverings
- Practice social distancing
- Stay home when sick
- Wash hands frequently and avoid touching one’s face
- Ensure enhanced disinfection procedures, especially of high-touch surfaces
- Learn about high-risk groups and ways to help protect them
- Follow public health guidance as updated
“Prevention is the most important thing we can do to slow the spread of COVID-19,” said Dr. Ross Goldberg, president of the Arizona Medical Association. “The data is clear: wearing a mask lowers the chance of spreading the virus. Arizona’s physicians and health care workforce are pleased to join with the business community in imploring Arizonans to be responsible and continue to wear a mask, which, when combined with physical distancing and other simple acts, can dramatically reduce the spread of this virus.”
Arizonans need to be prepared to continue these safety measures for the long haul. Even as Arizona’s COVID-19 numbers level and decline, Be Safe, Be Open AZ! will continue to advocate for responsible safety measures.
“We cannot take our foot off the gas, and we need to remind people that even when the number of positive cases declines, we can’t let up,” Hamer said. “We must double down on safety, especially as we approach our traditional flu season.”
We encourage you to join us and find resources for your business to help inform your customers of the safety practices you are following by visiting BeSafeBeOpenAZ.com. There, you can download window signs and other helpful material to post and share in the workplace.
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The Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry is committed to advancing Arizona’s competitive position in the global economy by advocating free-market policies that stimulate economic growth and prosperity for all Arizonans.
The Arizona Medical Association (ArMA) is the largest organization in the state representing the interests of all physicians. For more than 125 years, ArMA has been advancing patient care and providing its members with leadership, advocacy, education, and networking. For more information, visit www.AZmed.org and follow ArMA on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
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