Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer, Dr. Theresa Tam, reiterates that she encourages the wearing of masks in public spaces as several provinces move towards lifting the obligations in the matter.
” Yes, [ça devient] a personal decision at the time the requirements are withdrawn, which is a difficult period of adjustment, but I would say that it is prudent to wear a mask for now considering the possibility of an escalation in cases, “a- she said Friday during a press briefing.
This is how she formulated a “common message so as not to create confusion within the general population”.
Deputy Public Health Officer Dr. Howard Njoo appeared to rule out an upcoming update to federal guidelines on mask wearing.
“I don’t think it’s necessary to stress the point yet again. I think everyone knows the state of the science,” he responded to a reporter’s question on the subject.
Like Dr Tam, he maintained that it was “a good idea” to continue wearing the mask in the future, especially in places where close contact is prolonged such as the plane.
“I think governments across the country are trying to find a balance between compelling people [à faire] and also what we can do as individuals to make the right decisions in order to manage the risk”, he allowed himself to say when he was called upon to comment on the relaxations announced by provinces such as Ontario. .
A spike in COVID-19 infections like the one seen in several countries in Europe and Asia is also possible this spring in Canada, Dr. Tam said, citing the presence of the Omicron BA.2 subvariant.
She was, however, encouraged by Canada’s high vaccination rate, noting that countries with lower vaccination rates have higher mortality rates.
Either way, she said an uptick in COVID-19 hospitalizations is to be expected across the country based on the modeling she’s seen and what the provinces are reporting.
“However, it is anticipated that the increase in hospitalizations will be less than what we have just seen,” she nuanced, referring to the wave crossed with the original Omicron variant, the BA.1.
She pointed out that the provinces expect “manageable” levels of hospitalization, quick to add that this is something to watch closely over time.