Cover up: Group calls on mandatory wearing of masks

Through a letter addressed to Canada’s top health officials this week, the group called MASKS4CANADA respectfully requested a “strong consideration to be given to the recommendation of mandatory mask policies to help protect more Canadians.” (Pexels photo)

A group of physicians and health professionals urged the government to mandate Canadians to wear masks to protect themselves from the deadly coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Through a letter addressed to Canada’s top health officials this week, the group called MASKS4CANADA respectfully requested a “strong consideration to be given to the recommendation of mandatory mask policies to help protect more Canadians.”

“In addition to the current physical distancing measures and hand hygiene, masks are critical in order to ensure a safe reopening, prevent additional outbreaks and save lives,” the letter read.

An associate professor at the University of Calgary, Dr.

Amy Tan, part of MASKS4CANADA, in an interview with CTV News, cited a German research sowing that even simple cloth masks, the non-surgical ones, can reduce the spread of the coronavirus by 40 percent. Another study from Yale, she pointed out, said that one cloth mask can save the economy $3000 to $6,000.

With this, the group’s call is to push for a law requiring everyone to wear face covering in all places outside their home, including indoor ones such as schools, libraries, community centres, restaurants, and stores.

This should also be applicable in crowded areas and on public transit.

We recommend that persons with medical contraindications and/or disabilities, and young children under the age of 2, be exempt from this policy. We recommend distribution of masks to populations that may be vulnerable and/or at higher risk, in order to reduce inequity. Furthermore, we recommend  minimizing fines, arrests, or criminal penalties to enforce the policy,” the letter read.

“Instead, we encourage public education to help the public understand how to wear a mask properly, and the importance of masks for health and economic recovery,” it added.

Currently, the Public Health Agency of Canada is only recommending the wearing of face covering in public places, especially those where physical distancing is a challenge or impossible. However, this is not required.

MASKS4CANADA made the recommendation, believing that with their cited researches, there is sufficient evidence that masks can control and that the wearer is protected, and a lack of evidence on masks causing harm.