Canada's largest province is removing mask mandates on March 21 in most settings, including schools, officials announced Wednesday. The province of Ontario said improving health indicators such as a stable COVID-19 test positivity rate and declining hospitalizations, as well as Ontario's high vaccination rates and the availability of antiviral treatments, allow for these steps.
바카라It's now a choice, not a mandate. I hope that anyone who remains vulnerable continues to wear masks,바카라 Ontario Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kieran Moore said. The announcement came as 1,974 new COVID-19 cases were reported Wednesday in the province, though Moore has said that limits on testing mean that the true number is likely 10 times that amount, or more than 19,000 cases.
바카라We are now learning to live with and manage COVID-19 for the long term,바카라 Moore said. 바카라This necessitates a shift to a more balanced response to the pandemic.바카라 Moore said individuals can do their own risk assessment. 바카라You can't mandate masking forever,바카라 he said.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford said at an unrelated announcement Wednesday that the world has learned a lot since March 2020 and Ontario is in much better shape now. 바카라We're going to move forward cautiously, and if someone wants to keep (a mask) on, God bless them, and good for them,바카라 he said. 바카라But I know a lot of people don't want to keep them on.바카라 Ford said he's been accused of being the most cautious government leader in North America. Ontario and Toronto, Canada's largest city, has been locked down more than many other jurisdictions over the past two years.
With AP Inputs
