Since masks are now optional in most public places and Quebec has recently joined the rest of Canada in easing its rules, the mental gymnastics needed to understand whether masking is necessary or not may feel paramount. performing advanced calculus.
And yet, even when the rules change about where masks are required, some people may still choose to wear them – as they did before the terms came into force.
To help Canadians decide what is best for their own health and the health of their loved ones, CBC News has asked experts who study airborne particles to decide when, where and for whom masking is still recommended.
Will the mask work if I am the only person wearing it?
The message from public health officials for much of the pandemic was that masks work best if everyone wears them.
But if you want to protect yourself in a closed public space where many people will be exposed, KN95 or higher offers good protection, according to Steve Rogack, a professor of mechanical engineering at the University of British Columbia.
The Vancouver-based Rogak is studying all types of aerosols and testing the effectiveness of various mask materials during the pandemic.
“If you have an N95 mask можете and you can say that it does not leak on the edges and is nice and tight, I would say that this is an extremely good protection.”
“It will catch much more than 90 percent of the virus, probably more than 99 percent,” Rogak said.
Experts say that face masks with N95 respiratory particles, such as the one seen here, are extremely effective in protecting people from SARS-CoV-2 infection, as long as they fit snugly. (Tyson Basket / CBC)
While the N95 is generally considered the gold standard of masks and is often used by healthcare professionals, the material of the KN95 mask is also very effective, Rogak said.
KN95 is the Chinese equivalent of N95, and Rogak said it would capture about 90 percent of the virus particles as long as they fit well.
Both Rogak and Paris Aria, director of atmospheric and intermediate chemistry laboratories at McGill University in Montreal, agreed that removing the mandates did not mean the virus was gone.
“We should not close our eyes and believe that everything is gone,” said Aria, who studies the ways viruses spread through the air and is a leading expert in the study of bioaerosol transmission.
It compares virus particles to an algorithm of computer software – even if you can’t see it with the naked eye, it still exists and works.
“Viruses are physical subjects. Physical bodies. And the idea of the mask – it’s nothing new – it avoids and reduces transmission.”
A well-mounted KN95 mask, such as the one seen here, should capture about 90% of the SARS-CoV-2 virus particles, according to Steve Rogack, a professor of mechanical engineering who is testing the effectiveness of various masks. (CBC)
Who should consider wearing a mask?
Many public health agencies still recommend Canadians wear masks in closed public places, especially those at higher risk of severe consequences of COVID-19.
In fact, the current guidelines of the Public Health Agency of Canada are all to disguise.
“We recommend that you wear a mask in public indoors,” the agency’s website said.
“You should feel free to wear a mask, even if it is not required in your community or environment. This is an appropriate personal decision. “
A man wears a medical mask while walking down Bloor Street East in Toronto on May 10, 2022. Most provincial public health authorities recommend that the elderly and those at higher risk of severe consequences of COVID-19 continue to wear masks. (Alex Lupul / CBC)
Most provincial public health authorities emphasize that older people should continue to wear masks, as well as those with certain medical conditions and people who are pregnant or have recently given birth. Alberta recommends that people at risk of severe outcomes wear medical masks, and Ontario’s chief medical officer strongly encourages everyone to wear masks indoors.
Quebec’s interim director of public health, Dr Luke Boylo, recently said that anyone with COVID symptoms, whether tested positive or not, should be disguised because “you don’t have to be sure it’s COVID To be reasonable.
Where should people consider wearing a mask?
In most provinces, masks are still needed in health facilities and other enclosed spaces with vulnerable populations, such as long-term care homes. Some regions, including Alberta, Quebec and Ontario, still require public transport masks.
Aria said that despite the rules, she prefers to wear a mask indoors, especially if the space is crowded with strangers.
“When I get on the subway, I wear my mask. Do I like to do this thing? Absolutely not, especially in the summer. But it’s about respect,” she said.
“When you are more susceptible or have a grandmother, mother or family [members] who are immunocompromised, I would wear one. I don’t think there’s too much to do for a loved one. “
Rogak agrees and says that he personally prefers to wear a well-worn mask every time he is indoors with many strangers.
Masks are no longer mandatory in most indoor public places in Canada, such as the Toronto Eaton Center, pictured here on March 24, 2022 (Evan Mitsui / CBC)
“It’s convenient for me to go through a sparsely populated room with one or two people at the end – the chances of getting it are very slim,” he said.
“But if you’re going to be stuck in a crowded room for half an hour or an hour with five or six other people, people you don’t know, then I’m not comfortable [without a mask]”
Rogak said that without mandatory restrictions, Canadians must now take responsibility for their choices.
To help people make informed decisions based on COVID-19 trends, the Public Health Agency of Canada recently launched a new online COVID-19 wastewater monitoring panel.
The tool aims to provide people with the data they need to help them make informed decisions in the future.
“The risks have not changed overnight just because the mask mandate is over,” Rogak said.
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