ARLINGTON, Virginia, United States, 3 April 2020: As Mexican federal, state and local authorities consider new COVID-19 response policies, AHRI said it is working to ensure its members and the HVACR and water heating industry be deemed “essential” to prevent negative effects on the industry’s operations. AHRI said through a Press release that its staff has created a Mexico Advocacy Package, which members can forward to their suppliers as needed.

The Package, AHRI said, begins with a guide, which lists steps companies can follow to contact government authorities in Mexico. It also contains five documents, including template letters for members or their suppliers to personalise as appropriate. It is very important that letters or other communications from the industry be directed to the specific state and/or local jurisdictions in which members or their suppliers have operations, AHRI said.

On March 31, Mexico published its emergency health decree (Spanish; English Google translation) in the Official Gazette, which AHRI informed members of in an International Alert the same day. AHRI said it is working with its partner organisations and with US government officials to determine if the March 31 decree supersedes the Mexican state actions mentioned in AHRI’s March 31 International Alert, linked above. AHRI said it will inform members if it receives definitive news on this point and has urged members to continue state/local advocacy efforts in the interim.

Also, on March 31, AHRI co-signed a letter to the Mexican President with four other HVACR and water heating associations to advocate that the HVACR and water heating industry be deemed “essential.”