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July 01, 2020 - 11:02 AM
B.C.’s top doctor may not be planning to mandate mask wearing at this time, but that’s subject to change if the province experiences a surge of COVID-19 cases.
“If we end up with a surge (in COVID-19 transmission) in the respiratory season, it may be that we will require people to wear masks in some indoor situations…but we're not at that point right now," Dr. Henry, the provincial health officer, said during a regular press conference June 30.
The question came up in yesterday’s conference because Toronto Mayor John Tory and several other mayors of surrounding suburbs announced mandatory face mask orders for their cities at press conferences.
READ MORE: B.C. will look at mandating masks if COVID-19 transmission rates surge, says province's top doctor
While Dr. Henry said she won't mandate masks, voluntary use is encouraged.
“I do wear a mask myself and I encourage and I recommend strongly that others do when you're in those situations, particularly indoor situations, where you can't reliably maintain your distance from others," she said.
iNFOnews asked readers how they would feel if wearing a mask was mandated. Here are their responses:
Kaylee R Bannister: Well throw me in jail and toss away the key cuz I won’t be wearing one.
Melissa Renyard: People like me with asthma can't wear a mask because it can trigger an asthma attack and I can't breathe properly in them. Don't wear them and won't wear them.
Linda Austin: No problem. I wish it was mandated.
Barbara Richards: You got to do what you got to do. If that means wearing a mask then so be it.
Melonie Milton Young: I don’t wish to wear a mask, I don’t go out where there are a lot of people.
Ron N Vanessa Ledohowski: I think it's perfectly fine to wear a mask. We all should do it.
Erica Arteaga: If it doesn't do anything then why the push. And if these don't work, why do people think that homemade fabric ones do. There are studies out there that prove masks don't do anything against COVID or any virus.
Tracey D Kyle Sullivan: We wear masks in any indoor space, they do work or why would health care workers use them! I really hope more stores make it mandatory! This is not going away people get use to it! The second wave well be worse it's coming and with more people travelling there well be cases! Honest to god was the big deal!
Kayla Field: It should be optional, I would rather not wear one, as it is I don’t go anywhere where you are required.
Terri Cotton: What about people who can not wear them? I did not say will not, but can not.
Bill Christian: You can't isolate and hide yourself from viruses. If you want to know how we interact with viruses, how many there are and how they are spread take some time watch this video.
Moira Kelly Day: If everyone wore a mask and wore it correctly then I would also. But from what I am seeing at least half are not wearing them correctly. So what’s the point?I think they would find it very difficult to mandate that. I do know of people with COPD and other respiratory problems that absolutely cannot breathe with a mask on. I’m not sure what they would do for those people.
Eleanor Yablonski Bader: I'm fine with it.
Dawn Roberts Paprskar: Yes I definitely would.
How would you feel if mask wearing was mandated in B.C.? Let us know in the comments below.
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