The best doctor in Ontario has announced that most of the remaining COVID-19 mask mandates in the province will be lifted this weekend.
“With the high vaccination rates and the continuing improvement of COVID-19 in Ontario, most of the province’s remaining provincial masking requirements, including public transportation, will expire after 12:00 p.m. on June 11, 2022, “the chief health officer said. Kieran Moore said in a statement Wednesday.
The order was due to expire on June 11, after it was extended in April. However, the Department of Health told CTV News Toronto earlier this week that Dr. Moore was reviewing and monitoring key indicators across the province before committing to the date.
Masks will continue to be required in long-term care homes and retirement homes.
Most people in Ontario have been without a mask since March 21, when the requirement was raised in public places such as restaurants, gyms and movie theaters.
Hospitalizations and case positivity rates increased in the weeks following this decision, which the Ontario government said at the time was expected.
Since then, these COVID-19 metrics have improved significantly, and virus-related ICU admissions have reached an unprecedented level since last August.
Remaining mask directives at hospitals and other healthcare facilities will also end on June 11th. These directives will be replaced by the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health for workers in these environments.
The Ontario Ministry of Health still recommends wearing a mask in high-risk settings such as shelters and group homes.
Private companies are free to implement their own masking policies in the absence of a province-wide mandate, and people can continue to wear a mask if they so wish, the health ministry said.