toronto residents are told not to mingle with anyone outside their household, so do they need to wear masks all the time outdoors now in case they come in contact with others?
white says if you are by yourself or in a large spacious environment, like a park, it’s not necessary to wear a mask. if you can’t maintain distance from others, like on a busy sidewalk, it’s a good idea to mask up.
he also says that from a health standpoint, it’s most sanitary to put your mask on in your house when your hands are clean, and leave it on until you return if you’re going to be around others or run errands. this helps you avoid touching your face.
“there is a problem when people go out and they have a mask with them, they put it on, then take it off, go onto their next activity, and put the same mask on again,” white explains. “if you’re going anywhere downtown or near a shopping area, it’s better just to wear a mask.”
bowman stresses that whatever health guidelines experts are encouraging, they need to remember that people’s “covid fatigue is significant at this point.” with more restrictions and changing rules, ambiguous messaging can be very problematic.
“if we have to make changes, the messages have to be coherent and evidence-based,” he says.
“it’s never been more important than now.”