Ontario attacks most mask mandates starting Monday

Ontario dropped most of the province’s mask mandates on Monday and plans to scrap all remaining COVID-19 directives by the end of April.

The chief medical officer of the province, Dr Kieran Moore, said health indicators were improving as the reduction of hospitalizations and high vaccination rates made it possible to lift the restrictions, but Moore also added that the limit for tests meant that the correct daily COVID number is possibly 10 times higher. than the reported number.

Toronto City Council voted March 9 to end Toronto’s own mask law the same day the province lifted its restrictions, and most public institutions included schools.

This comes on the heels of raising capacity limits in all indoor public settings and mandatory evidence of vaccination requirements – although some businesses may decide to require further evidence.

Here’s what you need to know and what’s coming.

March 21 – Most masking mandates end

• The province will remove masking requirements in most places including schools

• Masks will still be required on public transit, and long-term care, nursing homes and other health care facilities, tents, prisons and congregate care and living facilities, including homes for individuals with developmental disabilities

• Other measures in schools, including cohorting and daily on-site screening, will be dropped

• All other regulatory requirements for businesses will be removed, including passive screening and security plans

• Ontario will continue to offer rapid antigen testing and PPE to schools and businesses

• Individuals may continue to choose to wear masks

• Enhanced cleaning, air quality optimization and ventilation and absenteeism stay in schools

April 27th – All remaining COVID measures, directives and orders come to an end

Province will remove mask requirements and all remaining settings

• All remaining emergency orders under the Reopening Ontario Act will be diverted

• All remaining directives will be repealed

• The province will continue to follow the lead of the Chief Medical Officer of Health and Recommendations on Infection Control and Control Canada (IPAC), including the use of personal protective equipment (PPE)

• Province for further rapid antigen testing and PPE delivery

How do people react?

Some, including training practitioners and health experts, would like to see the province delay its decision to lift the mask mandates. Others say the decision was quickly pursued by a provincial election.

Universities across the province plan to keep mask mandates in place until the end of winter, “to minimize uncertainty and disruption and further support our students, staff, faculty,” according to a statement from the Council of Ontario Universities. .

“It seems really too early,” said Karen Brown, president of the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO.). “

“Revoking the mask mandate too soon could lead to a further disruption of personal learning and a negative impact on the health and safety of ETFO members, students and their families,” Brown continued.

Dr Peter Juni, the scientific director of the Scientific Advisory Board, said it would help keep the pandemic under control if “most people” continue to wear masks as standard for the next month or so.

Ontario Chief Medical Officer Dr Kieran Moore said the Ontarians should make an “individual assessment, recognizing that the risk remains, but that we are well above the peak of activity in Ontario and we need to learn to live with this virus.” .

Meanwhile, he encouraged people to be friendly with those who choose to wear further masks and said he would personally continue to wear one in a mall or in the busy big-box store. Moore also “strongly recommended” masking those who are vulnerable.

A coalition of children’s hospitals issued a joint statement last week saying, “We would rather see masks in place for two weeks after the March break so we could assess the impact of Ontario’s wider opening.”

“Masks remain an important layer of protection as the pandemic continues and can be used in communities with low vaccination rates and where there is a flood of cases,” the statement read.

The organization notes that while everyone wants COVID to be a thing of the past, and not their children’s everyday experiences, “we are not quite there yet.