What to Consider & What’s Being Done

The AAFA team is dedicated to providing you with timely coronavirus (COVID-19) resources to help protect your teams, your consumers, and your supply chains. 

In addition to our regular calls, AAFA committee updates, and weekly member update emails from AAFA president and CEO Steve Lamar, this page provides the latest COVID-19 resources as we come together to support one another during this pandemic. We are incredibly proud of the AAFA members that are making a difference in the community - see a sampling of their stories here. 

For the latest updates on how AAFA is propelling the industry forward at this incredibly difficult time, join our twice weekly calls. Visit aafaglobal.org/events to register for each call.

AAFA RESOURCES:

• Coronavirus Company Preparedness Checklist
• AAFA's Webinar Learning Center recordings
• Participate in the Industry Resilience Campaign and give back to the Two Ten Footwear Foundation, Delivering Good, and A Common Thread! Contact Megan Balkovic to reserve your AAFA Industry Chat or Briefing. 
• (See other sections for additional AAFA-developed resources)

OTHER KEY RESOURCES:

• CDC situation summary and FAQs
• World Health Organization 
• U.S. State Department travel advisories
• International Air Transport Association travel restrictions 
• U.S. Chamber of Commerce response resources
• Real-time COVID-19 tracker, maintained by Johns Hopkins University
• U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Information Bulletin
• Coronavirus (COVID-19): Small Business Guidance & Loan Resources released by the U.S. Small Business Association 
• State resources for retailers from the National Retail Federation

On April 19, President Trump issued an Executive Order to defer limited amounts of duty payments for 90 days if a company can show economic hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Order does not cover products impacted by the administration's trade war, such as those hit with punitive tariffs under Section 301. AAFA’s reaction to this move is available here.

For more information, see the following from Customs and Border Protection (CBP):

• April 19 press release
• Temporary Final Rule
• CSMS 42423171 COVID-19
• CSMS 42421561 COVID-19

The Order leaves much of the industry without relief and AAFA is pushing tirelessly for additional relief. AAFA also encourages the industry to send a pre-drafted letter to Congress.

Stimulus Measures

On April 21, the Senate reached a deal on a $484 billion relief package that would add funds to the previously passed CARES Act. Details on the deal are available from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Additional resources from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce on the CARES Act:

• Economic Injury Disaster Loan Guide
• Employee Retention Tax Credit Guide
• Small Business Emergency Loan Guide (English version, Spanish version)

For background on the CARES Act, access our webinar recording from March 31.​

AAFA RESOURCES:

• International Lab Testing Capability For Personal Protective Equipment
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Regulatory Guidance During COVID-19
• List of Relevant HTS Codes & Tariff Rates for PPE
  
  • Related - Detailed Analysis on HTS codes for Surgical Gowns and Scrubs, Courtesy of Sorini, Samet & Associates
•  Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Supplier List​
• AAFA members taking action, via combination of donations and PPE production​

FEMA RESOURCES: 

• To sell medical supplies or equipment to the federal government, email specifics to covidsupplies@fema.dhs.gov.
• If you have medical supplies or equipment to donate, provide FEMA with details on what you are offering.
• If you are a private company that wants to produce a product related to the COVID response – email nbeoc@max.gov.
• If you are a hospital and other companies in need of medical supplies, contact your state Department of Public Health and/or Emergency Management.
• For non-medical supplies, services or equipment, if you are interested in doing business with FEMA, visit our Industry Liaison Program.

• AAFA Guidance on Returns, Fitting Rooms, & Items Tried on in Stores During COVID-19
• Supplier Country Lockdown List
• AAFA/WRAP Guidance on Reopening Factories 

• Operation Open Doors Checklist by the National Retail Federation (NRF) supplemented by this Blueprint for Shopping Safe, released jointly by NRF and the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA). 
• State-by-State Business Reopening Guidance (U.S. Chamber of Commerce)
• Federal Guidelines - Identifying Critical Infrastructure (Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency)
• County and State COVID Case and COVID Policy Tracker (National Association of Counties)
• Interim Guidance for Businesses and Employers Responding to COVID-19 (Centers for Disease Control)
• Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) publications, including OSHA Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19