Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry has released the official version of her order returning B.C. to mandatory mask wearing in indoor public spaces, which took effect in a surprise announcement Aug. 25.

The was posted Sept. 2, and confirms that masks are required in public areas of retail businesses, including grocery stores, as well as public transit, airports, pharmacies, fitness or sports facilities, theatres, billiard halls, libraries, conference centres, community halls and personal services including banks, barber shops, massage or tattoo parlours, saunas and steam rooms.

It exempts work or office areas that are not accessible to the public without invitation, as well as visitors under 12 years old and those unable to wear a mask due to B次元官网网址減sychological, behavioural or health condition.B次元官网网址� Masks are not required when seated for food or drinks, exercising in a sport or fitness facility, or inside a vehicle on a ferry.

Physical barriers are required for people without masks serving customers, and the order does not allow B次元官网网址渁 small or large clear plastic face shieldB次元官网网址� to substitute for a B次元官网网址渕edical or non-medical maskB次元官网网址� or a B次元官网网址渢ightly woven fabricB次元官网网址� covering the mouth and nose.

Post-secondary instructors donB次元官网网址檛 have to wear masks to teach as long as at least two metres separates them from students, or they use a physical barrier as .

The order officially expires Oct. 31. It includes a provision to ease the mask rule before that as evidence changes, B次元官网网址渋ncluding infection rates, sources of transmission, the presence of clusters and outbreaks, particularly in facilities, the number of people in hospital and in intensive care, deaths, the emergence of and risks posed by virus variants of concern, vaccine availability, immunization rates, the vulnerability of particular populations and reports from the rest of Canada and other jurisdictions.B次元官网网址�

RELATED,

RELATED:

tfletcher@blackpress.ca
Like us on and follow us on .