The new head of Ontario’s scientific advisory board says he would have liked the province’s mask mandate to remain in place for high-risk configurations for “at least a few more weeks.”
Dr. Fahad Razak, who took over as scientific director of the board earlier this month, told CP24 on Thursday that he was disappointed to see Ontario’s top public health official confirm that the term would be lifted. in most settings starting this weekend, with the exception of long-term care homes and retirees.
The decision comes as the burden on the healthcare system continues to decline after a sixth wave of the pandemic, with the number of patients with COVID breathing with the help of a ventilator now at its lowest point since October. of 2020.
“Unfortunately, I wish they could have kept things in place for a while longer. It’s still a stressful time in the healthcare system. It’s not just the infections that are coming in, they’ve clearly improved, it’s personal, it’s the fact that a lot of health workers got sick in the last few months, ”Razak said. “So I wish I had seen this come a little later in the process.”
The mandate of the mask was lifted for most environments in March, but it had remained in place in a number of “high-risk” locations, including public transportation, health facilities and shelters, and other congregated environments that they provide care to medically and socially vulnerable people. individuals.
For the past 24 hours, the vast majority of hospitals in Greater Toronto Area and the Hamilton area have indicated that they will maintain their own mask policies, a decision Razak said is “right.”
However, both the TTC and GO Transit have confirmed that they will follow provincial guidelines and allow motorcyclists to go without a mask from Saturday. The TTC will continue to demand masks from Wheel-Trans.
“I would say public transportation is an essential service and for many people, especially in urban centers, it may be the only way to get to work, school or other things,” Razak said. “Physical distance can’t be maintained on most lines of traffic, and sometimes when the doors are closed, the ventilation is not great and many people who use the traffic have no alternative. They are among the most vulnerable people. “In our society, they don’t have alternatives, they don’t have a car available. So creating the safest possible environment for me in traffic makes a lot of sense.”
The medical director of health, Dr. Kieran Moore, had previously extended the mandate of the mask for high-risk configurations during the sixth wave of the pandemic, but has now opted to let it expire in most places.
Speaking to CP24, Razak warned that it is “definitely possible” that there will be an increase in transmission as people stop wearing masks in some environments.
But he also acknowledged that it is a “difficult call” given the low levels of viral activity in Ontario at the moment.
“We are coming down from a huge wave. Most people in this province are vaccinated, many are triple vaccinated, many became infected, so there is this immune wall that has developed,” he said. “It doesn’t last forever, but right now, as the mask mandates come out, we can be more protected. I wish they were longer. But again, this is a call for judgment.”