DC raw food business won’t open until mask order is lifted, owner says

A D.C. raw food business says it won’t open its doors until the city has lifted its mask order.

READ MORE: DC mayor advises businesses to call the police if customers aren't following mask mandate

In a post that has since been flagged by Facebook for misinformation, Khepra’s Raw Food Juice Bar claimed that masks do not protect against anything, and that they can promote poor health and social discord.

READ MORE: Please mandate face mask wearing, retailers tell governors

The Centers for Disease Control and most health officials have indicated that masks are instrumental in curbing the novel coronavirus.

The owner – Khepra Anu – confirmed for Washington City Paper that he’d posted the message condemning masks.

The post claims that "The body uses your exhaust channel to remove CO2 to regulate alkalinity in the body. Therefore mask wearing will produce an over acidic environment that would become more susceptible to illness and disease."

It also claims that respiratory illnesses are not contagious.

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The novel coronavirus has sickened more than 41,000 D.C. residents since its official arrival in March 2020, and led to more than 1,000 deaths.

The District has a number orders in place to stall the spread of the coronavirus, even as it works to provide the vaccine to residents.

In addition to a mask order, health officials have imposed restrictions on indoor dining that some restaurateurs say are threatening to shut them down for good.