Will Canada have separate rules for fully vaccinated residents?
The official said whether the country would follow the example of the United States.
In the United States, fully vaccinated residents no longer need to wear masks outside in most settings. One senior Canadian official, Howard Njoo, who is the deputy chief medical officer of health, described how likely it is that Canada will do the same.
"We have more of a, I would say, collective and community approach," he believes. — So it's unlikely that a person can do something because they've been vaccinated with one or two doses.
He also noted that wearing masks, keeping a physical distance and frequent handwashing remain key public health measures, even though more Canadians are being vaccinated. Factors such as the number of new infections, positive test results and the impact on the public health system must be weighed, Nju said.
"If at some point things go well and vaccination continues to be high, I think local health authorities can consider easing the restrictions," Nju says.
The Public Health Agency predicts that some of the restrictions could be lifted as early as summer, with Canadians returning to workplaces, schools, universities and being able to meet indoors and outdoors in the fall.
