A Calgary family doctor filed a human rights complaint Wednesday about the federal government’s decision to no longer mandate mask-wearing on planes.
Ottawa has announced that, as of Saturday, it will no longer be mandatory to present proof of vaccination, to respect a period of isolation and to wear a mask when traveling by plane or train.
Dr. David Keegan, who suffers from a cardiorespiratory problem, admitted that he was concerned when he learned of the federal decision on Monday, which led him to file a complaint with the Canadian Commission on human rights.
“Airplanes are relatively small spaces with a lot of people inside,” the doctor said in an interview with The Canadian Press.
“Even if everyone wears the mask, the risk of transmission is not completely eliminated. But if, all of a sudden, no one wears it anymore because it is no longer required, there are people who have COVID who will easily pass it on to other travelers,” he lamented. .
The Dr Keegan said COVID-19 can be deadly and its symptoms can affect sick people for weeks or even months after infection in some cases.
The Public Health Agency of Canada still recommends wearing a mask in certain situations, especially in closed environments where there are many people, such as on trains and planes.
“The science is clear: wearing a mask is an extremely effective means of personal protection,” said Dr. Howard Njoo, Deputy Chief Public Health Officer of Canada, on Monday. I hope Canadians will make an informed decision on this. »
The Dr Keegan, who is also a professor at the University of Calgary’s medical school, will continue to wear a mask when flying — as he recently did while traveling to Toronto for surgery. However, he is not convinced that his future trips will be as safe.
“The problem is that if I’m the only one wearing the mask, the level of protection is really lower than if everyone is wearing it,” he said. COVID-19 is an airborne virus, so the air can become contaminated as soon as an infected person starts talking. »
“What I’m looking for is reasonably clean air, and requiring masks is a simple and effective way to significantly reduce air contamination on planes,” he said.
Earlier this week, Federal Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos indicated that the negative behavior of some recalcitrant mask-wearing passengers had made things very difficult for airlines and crews in recent months, and he did not did not deny that this issue had been a factor in the government’s decision.
“The transmission of COVID variants is mostly internal [en sol canadien]and this is therefore what we must insist on: wearing a mask is strongly recommended […] but it is not something that can be, in a sense, imposed,” admitted Mr. Duclos.
The Dr Keegan wondered, however, why remove the obligation to wear the mask on planes if, by the minister’s own admission, the variants are still spreading in Canada.
“If he says COVID-19 is circulating within the country, then why end an effective measure to limit the spread? It doesn’t make any scientific or logical sense,” he said.