Ontario’s top doctor Dr. Kieran Moore says the Province’s mask mandate for most settings will end on March 21st.
Today the Chief Medical Officer announced the Provincial plan.
“With continued improvements and trends, Ontario will remove the mandatory masking requirement for most settings on March 21st with the exception of select settings such as public transit, healthcare settings, long term care homes, and high-risk congregate care settings,” he said
With the numbers declining and the peak of Omicron behind us, Moore says we are now learning to live with the virus for the long term.
(longer audio of announcement above)
This morning Premier Doug Ford says he’s been accused of being the most cautious leader in North America during the pandemic.
He said he doesn’t have a crystal ball, but investments are now stronger in our healthcare system and the Province is in better shape now than it was prior to the pandemic.
“(But) we have to move forward from this, like, people are exhausted,” said the Premier. “The poor kids in those classrooms too – like, we gotta move on.”
Ford says all people can keep wearing masks after the 21st if they want to.
We could still return to mask-wearing though, added Moore, if the situation worsens and requires it in the future.