I work in the domestic maritime industry. We move oil in barges. One of Biden's EO's was for a mask mandate. The mandate referenced public transportation. The CDC decided to piggyback and expand it to commercial transportation as well. The USCG has interpreted this to be applicable to our industry.
Besides not making much sense (guys pull 3-4 week hitches on the boat, isolated from the rest of the world) for our industry, you cannot have a mandate without enforcement. The USCG has created a snitch email address for reporting non-compliance. The penalty for non-compliance is pretty much whatever the USCG wants it to be. Fines for the company, fines for the mariner, stripping mariner's of their licenses, etc. What happens when a deckhand gets his feelings hurt by a Captain for being a lazy piece of shit?
So now, as management, I'm left to try and figure this shit out. Its a huge clusterfuck because these mariners are basically roughnecks on the water. I promise you, 99% of them are not going to wear a mask while they are onboard. Will absolutely refuse to. The other problem is that this mandate is sweeping across all modes of commercial transportation. Meaning, what the CDC had in mind for air travelers is also applicable to my mariners that are isolated from the world for a month at a time. There's no specific guidelines. Its just "wear a mask". Huge problem in the industry and for me, specifically.
Keep this in mind when you hear shit like "What's the big deal about a mask mandate? Its just common sense. Its not like they are going to take you to jail if you don't wear it." This shit isn't fantasy land. Its real life, and real people that have a lot at stake.
Sorry for the TLDR: but had to paint the picture to answer the OP.
