A coalition of groups is calling on the BC government to reinstate the face mask mandate in indoor public spaces. Protect Our Province BC, Safe Schools Coalition BC, BC School Covid Tracker and Masks 4 East Van have written an open letter to incoming BC Premier David Eby, Health Minister Adrian Dix and Education Minister Jennifer Whiteside to implement a requirement mask in all indoor public places, including schools. The letter says a mask policy would reduce some of the impact on hospitals across the province, as fewer people would get sick. To increase awareness, the government should have a public education campaign explaining why the mask is an “effective tool against respiratory infections” while emphasizing the importance of mask application and “better filtration quality respirators ». BC officials lifted the mandatory mask policy on July 1, but public health officials encouraged people to continue wearing them in public while indoors, particularly on public transit. However, the majority of people do not wear them, despite the recommendation. As children’s hospitals in Ontario run out of pediatric ICU beds, the team expects BC to run out of them as cases increase during the respiratory season. And since HEPA filtration units have not been provided in most BC classrooms, “masks are currently the only sure way to limit the amount of virus in the air that school children and teachers breathe,” the letter argues . Photo via @Protect_BC/Twitter
Face Mask Mandate and BC COVID-19 Status
Public health officials have warned that BC could see a spike in coronavirus cases during the respiratory season. In a press conference on September 28, the provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said COVID-19 would likely spike from November to January, with flu peaking early this year around the same time, based on the experiences of Australia and New Zealand. Despite the expected spike in illnesses, the province has no plans to reinstate the mask mandate — at least not for now. A spokesperson for the Department of Health told Vancouver Is Awesome in a statement that it is not considering reintroducing mask mandates at this time. However, it will closely monitor the current epidemiological situation in the province and adjust its response accordingly. While the province has a higher-than-normal volume of patients in its hospitals, including children, the situation in Ontario is more serious and BC is “not yet experiencing an increase in COVID-19/influenza/RSV hospitalizations, which requires the activation of provincial surge plans “, the ministry said. While face coverings help prevent the spread of the coronavirus, the province has achieved a very high level of population immunity through infections and vaccination. “At this stage of the pandemic, even among the frailest elderly populations in long-term care facilities, most vaccinated residents with COVID-19 experience mild symptoms,” according to the ministry. However, people are still encouraged to wear masks in crowded indoor public spaces or on public transport. Additionally, anyone with flu-like symptoms should stay home until they feel better. The ministry added that it “will continue to monitor the pandemic around the world and in B.C. and should conditions change” and adjust its “response and applicable measures as necessary to protect public health.”
