Experts divided on mask mandates amid COVID resurgence – CTV
Oct. 31, 2022
As hospitals across Canada face a resurgence of respiratory viruses, medical experts do not all agree that mask mandates are necessary to curb COVID-19 transmission in public settings.
Dr. Fahad Razak, former scientific director of Ontario’s COVID-19 science table, said “unprecedented” viral infection strength justifies the implementation of mask mandates in public settings.
“The reason I think it’s the right time to start mask mandates now is because we have very few options,” he told CTV National News. “The problems with capacity, with beds, with staffing — those are going to take years to address.”
Along with calling for mask mandates in public transit, grocery stores, and health-care settings, Razak said masking should be part of a wider strategy that also “encourages vaccination.”
