As the province prepares to remove mask requirements for most settings, health officials encourage residents to stay vigilant and respect those who continue to wear masks
Yesterday, Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kieran Moore announced that mask mandates will be lifted in Ontario on March 21 provided that current health trends continue. Public transit, healthcare settings, long-term care homes, and congregate care settings will be exempt from this decision until further notice.
“I want to thank Ontarians for their ongoing resilience and commitment to community as we navigated this global pandemic together. Your sacrifices and collective actions have made a difference,” said Moore in a statement.
“While this does not signal that COVID-19 has disappeared or that the pandemic is over, it does mean that we have come to a place where we know what we need to do to manage this virus and to keep each other safe.”
Moore also said that a slight increase in cases and hospitalizations is to be expected as Ontarians begin to interact with each other without masks again. However, high vaccination rates, natural immunity, and the arrival of antivirals will ensure that the province is ready to manage the impact of COVID-19.
Following the province’s lead, Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph (WDG) Public Health will remove its mask mandate for the WDG region on March 21, and stated in a public advisory that it will continue to monitor local COVID-19 trends and respond accordingly.
As of March 1, the area has already lifted indoor capacity limits and proof of vaccination requirements.
Local Medical Officer of Health Dr. Nicola Mercer stated that while many are ready for mask mandates to be lifted, others are not.
“For families with children under five, members of our community with underlying health conditions and many who are just not ready to get ‘back to normal’, your concerns are very valid. Please continue to follow the public health measures that support your and your families’ needs.” said Mercer. “We can each move forward only as quickly as our individual situations dictate.”
Moore recommends that Ontarians “remain kind, considerate and respectful to those who continue wearing a mask,” and that they stay at home when sick. Furthermore, he says that vaccine and booster shots are still the best protection against the virus.
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