Dr. Kieran Moore is expected to announce on Monday a recommendation that Ontarians wear masks in public to limit the spread of numerous respiratory viruses, including COVID-19, the flu and RSV, that lead to overwhelmed children’s hospitals. However, Moore is not expected to announce a government mandate to require mask use anywhere in the province. Dr. Paul Roumeliotis, the medical officer of health for the Eastern Ontario Health Unit, told Newstalk 580 CFRA “CFRA Live with Andrew Pinsent” on Sunday that an order has not been ruled out, but he doesn’t think it would be necessary right now. “In terms of the mandate, that would be the next step,” he said. “The reason I’m a little hesitant at this point to instill a mandate is, first of all, if you’re going to do it, you’re going to do it for everybody, you’re not going to just say schools. Number two, we’re in a different position than we were when we first instigated a mandate.” Roumeliotis said that treatments for COVID-19 and vaccines have brought the virus under a level of control not seen in 2020 when the pandemic began. “We also recognize that orders put pressure on businesses and others. I am not saying that an order will not be made, but we have to take a more careful approach because it causes a lot of problems,” he said. “Understand that we’re not going back to 2020. I think a lot of people are fed up with the virus, fed up with these restrictions and worried that we’re going to go back to these restrictions. This is a temporary thing that people can do voluntarily to help the most vulnerable, offset the overload of our hospitals and reduce the number of people who get sick.” Roumeliotis added that even incomplete uptake of voluntary coverage by the population can help reduce the transmission of respiratory diseases and ease the burden on the health care system. “If we don’t get everybody covered voluntarily — even if we get 60 to 70 percent of the population covered, what you’re trying to do is reduce the amount of circulating virus out there,” he said. “I can’t give you a higher recommendation without forcing it. The next step would be to enforce it, which we would like to avoid, but we do not rule it out.” Ottawa health practitioner Dr. Vera Etch last week said she had written to the provincial government to encourage widespread mask use and also did not rule out a mandate in the future. Children’s hospitals across Ontario are experiencing an explosion of patients in emergency and intensive care departments. CHEO recently opened a second ICU to meet demand. The Ontario Hospital Association is asking citizens to wear masks indoors and get up-to-date shots for COVID-19 and flu. Roumeliotis also urges parents to keep children home if they are sick as much as possible.
