Mandating masks again in indoor public places is one immediate way to fend off another potential surge, according to some doctors
It’s time to bring back indoor mask-wearing requirements, some health professionals say amid concerns of a potential surge in COVID-19 cases this summer.
Over the past month, countries such as the U.S., Israel, Portugal, France and Italy have seen a rise in COVID-19 cases. And with the emergence of even more infectious Omicron subvariants, particularly BA.4 and BA.5 – which appear able to evade immune protection – there are concerns that Canada, too, will be hit with another wave in the coming months.
Dr. Pirzada said he understands people are tired of public-health mandates, but it wouldn’t be necessary to wear masks everywhere, or forever. He believes they should be required in such places as grocery stores, on public transit, medical clinics and anywhere people who are vulnerable have no choice but to go; everywhere else could have a strong recommendation for masks.
As of June 18, there were 15,047 new weekly COVID-19 cases in Canada. While that’s down from 288,771 cases per week at the peak of the Omicron wave in January, the new case counts are about what they were in November. Building health care capacity will take time and complex solutions. But wearing a mask is not a huge inconvenience, and is a relatively simple and immediate way for people to keep themselves and each other safe, Dr. Wurster said.
Dr. Driedger said it can be hard for individuals to follow recommendations around mask-wearing when others around them are not. When leaders, such as school teachers or principals, stop wearing masks, it sends the message to others that they don’t need to.