It's too early for Canadians to give up their masks

Canada continues to be one of the world's leaders in population vaccination. But even as the number of COVID-19 infections in the country has steadily declined, experts disagree on whether now is really the right time to relax the requirement to wear masks in public places.

Last year, as the pandemic turned life upside down and our world was suddenly divided by plexiglass, physical distancing and protective masks, many had no hope that by the summer of 2021 the situation in Canada would have improved enough to even spark a debate about mandatory mask-wearing.

However, some provinces have already eliminated mask mandates, as well as relaxed a host of other quarantine measures. For example, Alberta, and British Columbia have introduced relaxations on Canada Day. The province of Saskatchewan is not far behind: all quarantine measures, including the use of masks, are also scheduled to be significantly relaxed there on July 11.

However, according to medical experts, due to the high likelihood of infection with the new strain of coronavirus, Delta, removing restrictions is premature.

It's worth considering...

According to professor and viral disease researcher Caroline Colin, there is no set number of vaccinations that would tell you exactly when masks are no longer needed. Before quarantine restrictions can be lifted, she says, several factors must be taken into account: the likelihood of infection with the Delta strain and other varieties of coronavirus, and the percentage of the vaccinated population:

"I think we should aim for a really high rate of full vaccination: 90-95% of the vaccinated population will give us reliable protection against infection with this strain, and will also prevent infection with new strains that are likely to emerge in the future."

A new Canadian study, which has not yet been peer-reviewed, suggests that even a single dose of the vaccine may be more effective against the delta variant, than previously thought. Professor Colin noted that it is very important to follow this kind of research evidence, as all provinces are now thinking about whether masks are needed or whether wearing them is no longer necessary.

Caroline Colin herself is not yet at risk of removing her mask in confined public spaces, despite living in British Columbia, where this safety measure is no longer necessary, but is still recommended.

Doctors' opinions are divided

But Dr. Kwadwo Kiremanteng, an Ottawa-based intensive and palliative care physician, believes the mandatory mask-wearing rules could be relaxed, at least in some parts of Ontario.

"I'm a big fan of masks," says Dr. Kiremanteng, "but I think we're now in a situation where we have to think about what restrictions we can get rid of already.

Here's how Dr. Stephanie Smith of Alberta, where less than half the population is fully vaccinated, commented, "Personally, I think the masking should continue, at least in public places, given that we've just come off an incredibly large third wave of covid infection."

She fears that it will be much harder to get anyone to put their masks back on afterwards: the Canadian population will be outraged and resentful.

To wear or not to wear — we decide for ourselves?

The debate over mandatory mask-wearing is not limited to Canada. The World Health Organization still urges everyone on the planet to wear masks — even those who are already fully vaccinated.

Meanwhile, the UK is expected to drop its mask requirements by the end of July. The same will happen in most US states, where it will soon be possible for fully immunized citizens to remove their masks.

The lack of consistency and confusion about what is safe and what is not means that owners of their own businesses (shops, hotels, restaurants, etc.) in provinces that have already abolished mandatory face masks now have to decide for themselves whether to wear masks when entering their establishments.