Individuals required to wear masks in public indoor spaces in Toronto

“Wearing fabric masks or face coverings keep you from unknowingly spreading this COVID-19 virus and keeps the people around you from spreading it to you. It is about respecting and protecting each other,” he added. (File photo: @arturorey/Unsplash)

In a bid to limit the number of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infections, the public is now required to wear masks or face coverings whenever they enter an enclosed public place in Toronto.

On Tuesday, June 30, the Toronto City Council unanimously approved this new temporary bylaw, following the recommendation of Toronto Medical Officer of Health Eileen de Villa.

“We are in the midst of reopening our city, safely restarting the economy with an emphasis on the word safely. So we will continue to do everything we can to keep this virus from spreading and to avoid a resurgence of cases like we’re seeing in other jurisdictions in North America,” Mayor John Tory said in a news conference.

“Wearing fabric masks or face coverings keep you from unknowingly spreading this COVID-19 virus and keeps the people around you from spreading it to you. It is about respecting and protecting each other,” he added.

The mayor said he understands how wearing a mask gets uncomfortable sometimes but doing so can reduce their risk of being infected with the coronavirus.

“Our doctors said that it [wearing masks] works,” Tory said.

Effective on July 7, the public must wear masks or face coverings when going to public indoor spaces such as retail stores, convenience stores, malls or shopping plazas, grocery stores, bakeries, farmer’s markets, restaurants, bars, recreational facilities, gyms, swimming pools (once permitted to open), libraries, community centers, community service agencies, personal service settings, churches, mosques, synagogue, temples, and other faith settings, according to the news release by the City of Toronto.

Also included are art galleries, museums, aquariums, zoos, banquet halls, convention centers, arenas, stadiums, real estate facilities, common areas in hotels, motels, or other short-term rentals, entertainment facilities, and business offices that are opened to the public.

Only those who cannot wear a mask for medical reasons and children under two years of age are exempted from the bylaw.

The bylaw is expected to remain in place until the completion of the first council meeting scheduled for September 30, unless its effectivity is extended by the council. Dr. de Villa, on the other hand, will conduct a monthly review on recommendations regarding masks or face coverings and should report if there are any changes needed to be applied before the end of September.

Currently, Toronto has recorded more than 14,000 coronavirus cases and more than 1,000 deaths.

Canadians were earlier encouraged by Canada’s chief public health officer Dr, Theresa Tam to wear non-medical masks or face coverings, especially when they are in areas where maintaining a two-meter physical distance is impossible.

Tam said wearing face coverings will allow the user to protect others from some transmissions.

“If two people are wearing masks, I’m protecting you and you are protecting me,” Tam previously said.

[READ: Dr. Tam urges Canadians to wear mask for ‘added layer of protection’]