THUNDER BAY – As restrictions continue to be loosened in Ontario and other parts of the country, the Thunder Bay District Health Unit’s medical officer of health wants people to remember that not everyone has the same level of concern about COVID-19.
Some, who may be immunocompromised, or interact with those who are, may decide to continue wearing masks after rules are relaxed, something that could happen by the end of March, according to Dr. Kieran Moore, Ontario’s chief medical officer of health.
Others will be only too happy to shed them, after nearly 18 months of masks being mandated in most setting in Ontario.
Dr. Janet DeMille said compassion and understanding from both sides is a must moving forward.
It’s been a stressful couple of years, she added.
“It has had significant implications on families, on businesses, workplaces, schools and health care. I think we have also seen that it’s kind of divided us in many ways because of differences of opinions that people have had and people’s willingness to do things or not do things and people feeling it impinges on their personal rights and stuff,” DeMille said.
“I think what we do need to do, as part of our recovery from the pandemic, is really try to recover from that as well. Going forward people will make personal choices for themselves and their families, including whether to continue to wear a mask, even when it’s not required.”
DeMille said she believes a lot of people will continue to wear a mask in certain public settings, such as grocery stores or shopping malls.
Others won’t.
“There are a lot of people who may have certain vulnerabilities themselves or within their family where they will remain at risk and they will choose to wear a mask where it’s not required, and I think we really do need to respect people’s personal choices in that,” DeMille said.
She is glad to see things start to return to pre-pandemic normal, but also cautioned that COVID is not done.
As of Friday there were 211 known active cases, though Moore this week said it’s likely the true number of cases in Ontario is 10 times the lab-confirmed count, given the reduction in testing.
“We’re certainly on the down side of this Omicron wave. We have come through it and we’ve come through it together,” DeMille said. “I think it is exciting to talk about reopening and move through reopening steps.
“As I said, I think we do need to recognize it’s not safe. There’s still a pandemic. There’s still COVID-19 in various communities. There are still people who can be fairly vulnerable to COVID-19 because they have risk factors ... so I still support a cautious and safe reopening and moving through the steps and we’re still moving through those steps.”
DeMille stressed she doesn’t want to see things move too fast and restrictions lifted just to lift them.
“I want the numbers declining even further and I want that to happen in the district communities and the First Nations communities as well. But I am fairly optimistic that we can look forward to the spring and summer where we will have more opportunities to do things.”
