Ontario health professionals plead for continued masking mandates in high-risk settings
Healthcare officials across Ontario are calling on the province to extend its high-risk setting mask mandate past its current expiration date.
Mask mandates in hospitals, long-term care facilities, other health care settings and public transit are set to come down on April 27, as Ontario continues to battle the sixth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Lifting the mask mandates in hospitals, in nursing homes, in other congregate settings, or on public transportation, it would be the most irresponsible action any public health officer can take," said Dr. Doris Grinspun, the CEO of the Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario (RNAO).
Dr. Grinspun said she was disappointed following the Ontario chief medical officer of health's news conference last week, the first one in over a month.
In that, Dr. Kieran Moore recommended that Ontarians continue to wear masks, but ruled against reinstating a provincial masking mandate.
It comes as hospitalizations for COVID-19 have risen by 66 per cent in the last two weeks.
"The number of cases in long-term care homes is rising, so of course we want the mask mandates to continue," said Albert Dupuis, a Sault Ste. Marie representative for the Ontario Health Coalition.
"When it comes to the type of masks as well, the cloth of the regular surgical masks probably offers some protection, but probably not in the riskiest of settings. So why are they not mandated? Why are we not protecting, especially the most vulnerable people?"
While Dr. Moore ruled out reinstating a provincial mandate, he added that the province is currently looking to extend masking mandates in high-risk settings past the April 27 deadline.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
BREAKING McGill University seeks emergency injunction to remove pro-Palestinian encampment from campus
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
U.S. says Israel's use of U.S. arms likely violated international law, but evidence is incomplete
The Biden administration said Friday that Israel's use of U.S.-provided weapons in Gaza likely violated international humanitarian law but wartime conditions prevented U.S. officials from determining that for certain in specific airstrikes.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
More than half the Canadians once detained in Syrian camps for suspected ISIS family members have returned home
A total of 29 Canadians have been freed from detention camps in northeast Syria and brought back to Canada since human rights advocates began lobbying for their release years ago.
Canada abstains from Palestinian UN membership vote but supports two-state solution
Canada was one of 25 countries that abstained from a United Nations vote on Palestinian membership that passed with overwhelming support on Friday.