New Yorkers: Please use this form to send an email to your NYC Council Member, NYC Health Commissioner, NYC Public Advocate, NY State Senator, and Assemblymember, and urge them to speak out against forced unmasking in businesses.

NYC Mayor and NYPD Chief of Department are requesting that business owners force their customers to unmask. The statements by the Mayor and NYPD Chief of Department go against science and public health. There is no evidence that forced unmasking will reduce crime. But unmasking, even temporarily, is a public health risk because COVID-19 is airborne. You can catch COVID-19 even if you only remove your mask briefly indoors.

Businesses that force unmasking discriminate against marginalized New Yorkers. No one should be forced to unmask and risk their health and lives in order to enter businesses, especially those at higher risk such as those who are immunocompromised, disabled, and/or elderly. This forced unmasking policy would also disproportionately target and profile communities of color, who are more likely to wear masks according to polls, and have been hit hard by the pandemic.

Everyone has a right to wear a mask. Everyone has a right to protect themselves from COVID-19.

Note: To send a letter, you will need to input a New York State zip code (10001 to 15000) into the form.

For more info, please see our COVID Advocacy NY website at COVIDAdvocacyNY.org.