BC's Mask Mandate is back for indoor settings

One Day after Doctor Bonnie Henry, Premier Horgan and Health Minister Adrian Dix outlined the latest measures towards the provincial response to COVID, Doctor Henry was back with one more addition to the list, this one a familiar item from the past and a return to a Mask Mandate for all indoor settings. 

The announcement of the revival of the Mask Mandate came as health and Education officials were rolling out their Education plans for Elementary, Secondary and Post Secondary students.

The Public Health Order which takes effect tomorrow has been described as temporary and is one which will be re-evaluated once the province's new 'vaccine passport' program is up and running later in the Fall.

The Mask wearing mandate is in effect for the following settings:

The shift in direction on masks comes less than 24 hours after the Public Health Officer had spoken to the topic noting that fully immunized residents are less likely to transmit the virus, though at the time observing of the role that masks play if incidence of transmission is high.

“As transmission of COVID-19 increases in B.C., primarily among unvaccinated people and in part due to the Delta variant, it’s important to take this extra temporary step to make indoor public spaces safer for everyone. We need to continue doing the things that protect us, including wearing masks in indoor, public areas, practising hand hygiene regularly, staying away if we are sick and keeping a respectful distance from people. And most important of all, every person should get vaccinated to protect themselves, their loved ones and their community.” -- Doctor Bonnie Henry

More on today's reintroduction of the mask mandate in BC can be reviewed here. 

Further background on COVID in the province can be reviewed from our archive page.