Alberta has made changes to the mask rules
People with certain medical conditions are on the exclusion list.
On May 13, Dr. Dina Hinshaw, Alberta Ministry of Health's Chief Medical Officer of Health, made an important announcement about changes to the province's mask-wearing regulations. Masks are an important measure to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, and have been mandatory in Alberta for more than a year.
But there are exceptions. For example, residents may not wear a mask while eating or if it is dangerous to wear a mask due to the specific nature of the job. There are also a number of medical contraindications to wearing a mask. Alberta authorities have highlighted the following:
- Sensory processing disorder;
- developmental delay;
- cognitive impairment;
- mental illness;
- facial trauma;
- recent surgery on the jaw or in the mouth;
- contact dermatitis;
- allergic reactions to the mask components;
- acute respiratory distress syndrome.
Residents of Alberta who are not qualified to wear masks for health reasons may not wear them, but must be certified to do so by a physician, psychologist or nurse. Guidelines will be sent to health care providers on how to issue the certificates.
