THUNDER BAY – The Thunder Bay District Health Unit’s medical officer of health says the province could provide clarity on masking restrictions in the next few weeks.
Ontarians will be eligible to enter into Step 3 of the provincial reopening plan as soon as July 21 and Dr. Janet DeMille said high level talks with public health officials are starting to move into discussions about what that means immediately and beyond.
“So looking at public health guidance and looking at what applies to people who are fully immunized. As we see more people become fully immunized, then it’s appropriate to be asking that question – what do we still have to do and what maybe we don’t have to do,” DeMille said.
“I do anticipate that (masks) will be part of the discussions and that we’ll get more provincial-level guidance about when we need to wear masks and when not to.”
Mask mandates have been in place in Ontario since last summer for indoor activities, including shopping, but are starting to be lifted in other provinces.
British Columbia ended its mandatory mask mandate on Canada Day, though it remains recommended for those 12 and older who are not fully vaccinated, with a two-week buffer after one’s second dose.
Calgary this week voted to end its mask mandate, in place since last August, council voting 10-4 in favour, though they will be required on public city owned and operated facilities. Saskatchewan plans to lift its mask requirement on Sunday.
It’ll be up to the Ontario government, in conjunction with public health units, to lift the mandate and earlier this week, Premier Doug Ford reiterated the province plans to proceed cautiously.
Nowhere in its three-step plan is any indication when masks will become voluntary or not required. Some experts have said the country should wait until 90 to 95 per cent of the adult population is fully vaccinated. However, south of the border the Centre for Disease Control earlier this year said fully vaccinated people could ditch their masks, unless required to wear them by federal, state or municipal regulations.
DeMille is hopeful the answers for Ontario will come soon.
“I think as we see more and more people get fully immunized that it’s important to provide that information and I think it’s important to be able to relax some of the restrictions that have been placed upon people, if we can do that and do it safely,” DeMille said.
She added she’s more comfortable with easing outdoor mask requirements, pointing to Public Health Agency Canada’s recent mask rule relaxation guidelines that gave fully vaccinated people more outdoor, mask-less options. It also said masks aren’t necessary in small, indoor gatherings of fully vaccinated people.
“It’s really about assessing risk. If you have any particular vulnerabilities to COVID, where you might be more predisposed to having a severe illness, if you have anybody around you who might be more vulnerable, in cases like that you might want to maintain some of those public health measures longer, for example,” DeMille said.
