Dr. Tam urges Canadians to wear mask for ‘added layer of protection’

“From our perspective, it is an added layer of protection. It is for you to protect others. So if two people are wearing masks, I’m protecting you and you are protecting me, she said. (File photo: @katetrifo/Unsplash)

As the world’s battle with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic continues, Canada’s chief public health officer, Dr. Theresa Tam,  advised Canadians not to forget to wear masks whenever they are going to places where keeping the two-meter physical distance is not possible.

“For the spring and summer months, strict adherence to the public health basics of physical distancing, handwashing and cough etiquette must continue as the bare minimum,” Tam said in a news conference.

“In addition, where COVID-19 activity is occurring, [the] use of non-medical masks or face coverings is recommended as an added layer of protection when physical distancing is difficult to maintain. And staying home when sick is a must, always and everywhere,” she added.

Tam, however, stressed that these masks won’t protect the user from infection, rather, it is the user who is protecting people around them from some transmissions.

“These masks protect others so if you are wearing it you are protecting others against your droplet,” she said.

Tam issued this statement as some businesses in Canada are set to reopen with safety measures in place to stop further spread of the virus. With this reopening, Tam said a lot of people are expected to be seen using public transportation or going to some retail stores.

If an individual is not sure whether the physical distancing will be observed in the places that can be crowded, she said it is better for them to use non-surgical masks.

“From our perspective, it is an added layer of protection. It is for you to protect others. So if two people are wearing masks, I’m protecting you and you are protecting me, she said.

Tam said wearing masks in public is only a “recommendation” and not mandatory across the country, as the areas in Canada do not have the same level of risk of coronavirus infection. However, she said provinces and communities can make it mandatory, depending on their situation.

“They need that ability to do that risk assessment and recommend it from their perspective,” she said.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was earlier seen wearing a face mask when he arrived on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Wednesday.

During a press conference, he said he started wearing a mask whenever he has to go to the areas where he could be in close proximity to people.

“As soon as I leave my seat and walk past people and walk through potentially busier hallways [of Parliament], I will be wearing a mask. That’s my personal choice, that is aligned, I think, with what public health is recommending,” he said.

He also advised Canadians to “adjust to what works in our circumstance and keep safety at the forefront of what we’re doing.”