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many plan to keep masks, even after monday's mandate drops

masking becomes a personal choice in three days, with province nixing two-year rule

as ontario’s science table reveals its latest projections, and just three days until the province drops a two-year mask mandate for most indoor settings, some people say they plan to keep wearing masks out of concern for others.
“i’m going to hang tight for a bit. and most of my family will as well,” mark brion said as he left a starbucks on kingston rd. near midland ave.
customers were wearing masks inside – as is the current rule.
but come monday it will be optional.
brion said no change is brewing for him.
“i’m going to continue to wear my mask for a bit longer, especially given some of the updates around what’s happening in the european union,” he said.
retail settings are also in the last few days of mandatory masking.
as irene kuusela exited a shoppers drug mart, she was adamant:
“i’m going to continue wearing my mask and i’m going to be careful to not get into large crowds.”
with spring just days away, vaccine certificates no longer required, and masks becoming optional, new provincial modelling show hospitals positioned to weather an increase in patients in may.
“i will be wearing my mask,” said ki kitamura leaving a drug store. “because there are a lot of people who aren’t fully vaccinated.”

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kitamura said the two years of restriction have taken a toll.
“it’s been different. its lonely at times. but it’s okay, you got to be safe. everybody has to do for everybody else. you got to protect other people as well as yourself,” she said.
it’s a point kuusela agreed with.
“people are suffering from being isolating for two years going on three years. i’m a senior citizen and i have lost two years of my life being at home and four walls,” she said.
margaret mcgahon and brant edmond said they protected themselves closely and plan to continue.
thursday was their first time inside a restaurant in two years.
“i’m still going to wear my mask. it’s not gone. it’s still here. i’m still going to wear my mask. especially in the grocery store and large public gatherings for sure,” mcgahon said as the two entered a st. patty’s day lunch.
they just booked an october trip to ireland for a wedding.
their hope is circumstances with the pandemic — in canada and in europe — do not change enough to force them to scrub the trip.
“i think anybody that thinks it’s over is fooling themselves,” edmond said.

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