Dr.  Kieran Moore “strongly recommends” wearing a mask in these spaces, as some Ontario children’s hospitals say they have been overwhelmed by an influx of sick patients in recent weeks.
At this point, the province has not mandated the use of masks across the province, although some health care officials have called for one.
Moore said the “difficult and complex fall” predicted has materialized as the province grapples with what he described as “three major viral threats”: COVID-19, influenza and RSV (respiratory syncytial virus).
“All three are actively circulating across Ontario in all our communities and throughout the Western Hemisphere, contributing to the pressures on the pediatric health care system.  As the risk to Ontarians increases, we need to use all the layers of protection we have,” said Moore.
Asked why he hasn’t introduced a mask mandate, Moore explained that, in the past, the requirement hasn’t worked in social settings and that today’s announcement was made in an effort to get Ontarians back “to the basics” of infection prevention.
“This is different from COVID.  This protects our children and the youngest among us.  Please parents, grandparents, siblings: If you have respiratory symptoms, you must cover up around those who are vulnerable.”
He said while the mask mandate may reduce risk at the community level, the focus of Monday’s recommendation is Ontario’s children.
In addition, Moore explained that if the strain on the province’s health care system continues to increase, a mask mandate would be “the furthest we would have to go.”
In an update released by the Department of Health called “Managing the Pediatric Respiratory Virus Era,” the province said the recommendation is being extended to schools and childcare settings because of the “additional risk of RSV and influenza.”
The Ministry said children aged between two and five should also be covered with supervision if they tolerate the mask, and can wear it safely and remove it when needed.
Moore said that while he has no jurisdiction over what schools implement, boards may want to consult with local medical health officials about best practices regarding coverage going forward.
His announcement comes a day after Premier Doug Ford urged members of the public to wear masks but stopped short of imposing a mandate.
On Friday, Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children announced it was putting some surgeries on hold to “maintain intensive care capacity” amid a recent increase in patient volume.
Moore revealed that he spoke with SickKids Hospital CEO Ronald Cohn, who said that half of the patients being ventilated in the hospital’s intensive care unit have RSV and half have the flu.
In the past, Moore said he would recommend a mask in certain indoor spaces if hospitals started canceling surgeries.
The update from the Ministry of Health goes on to say it is ready to expand pediatric capacity across the province by 150 per cent to cope with the increase.
Also, the ministry said it will require patients over 14 who need intensive care to be treated in an adult hospital.