THUNDER BAY – On March 21 masking in Ontario will no longer be mandated.
Instead it will be a choice, explained Dr. Kieran Moore on Wednesday, announcing the lifting of mask requirements in most settings, including schools, at the conclusion of the upcoming March Break. Restaurants, bars, gyms and movie theatres are also on the no-mask list as of March 21.
Masks and face coverings, which have been required in all public settings in Ontario since July 2020, will remain mandatory in high-risk settings, including health-care facilities, shelters, long-term care homes and on public transit.
Moore said Ontarians are now learning to live with, and manage, COVID-19, and with lower hospitalization numbers and virus patients taking up space in intensive care units, the time has come to ditch masks in most public spaces.
The changes reflect a longer-term approach and balanced approach, with the sudden rise of the Omicron variant in the past.
“Removing the mask mandate does not mean the risk is gone. COVID-19 transmission is still occurring across the province and masks can help protect you and others from becoming infected with COVID-19. In fact, we can expect indicators, such as cases and hospitalizations, to increase slightly as Ontarians increasingly interact with one another,” Moore said.
“However, thanks to our high vaccination rates and natural immunity that is developing as well as the arrival of other therapeutics and antivirals, Ontario has the tools necessary to manage the impacts of this virus.”
Moore, who rejected the notion he was pressured into lifting the mask mandates for political reasons, Ontario headed for a June 2 provincial election, said the province is still strongly recommending those people at high risk from COVID-19 still wear masks when the mandate is lifted – and continue to respect the masking requirements that do remain in place after March 21.
“As a society, I’m asking we remain kind, considerate and respectful toward those who continue to choose to wear a mask, and we should all be prepared that we may need to resume mask wearing if a new variant of concern emerges, or potentially during the winter months when COVID and other respiratory viruses are likely to circulate again,” Moore said.
Thunder Bay Mayor Bill Mauro said it’s not up to him to decide whether it’s the right time for Ontario to remove mask mandates province-wide.
“You hope that it’s based and rooted in science. That’s always been the message from us from the very beginning of the pandemic in March of 2020,” Mauro said. “They’ve made their decision. I have had conversations with some people who work in the health-care field that are concerned and have expressed a concern that maybe this is a little too soon.
“So there’s no unanimity on it ... I think you’ll likely see a lot of people wear a mask on their own, whether that’s in grocery stores or gymnasiums or wherever that may be. We’ll see where it goes.”
Mauro said it’s too soon to determine if the city will lift mask restrictions in its facilities on March 21 and private businesses are allowed to set their own rules for entry.
Mask requirements in high-risk settings are expected to be lifted on April 27.
