A Winnipeg epidemiologist says messaging from Manitoba’s top health officials on the use of masks during the coronavirus pandemic is consistent with that of the World Health Organization.
Cynthia Carr of EPI Research told 680 CJOB there’s a reason why Dr. Brent Roussin is recommending mask use when physical distancing isn’t possible, despite Manitoba’s low transmission numbers.
Carr said implementing mandatory mask use would be complicated and challenging to enforce — so Roussin is smart to use it as just one of many strategies against COVID-19.
“Masks are considered part of a comprehensive approach,” said Carr.
“They’re never to be thought of instead of the other approaches that are already in place. The most important to break the chain of transmission, of course, is the social distancing.”
Carr said she understands why many Manitobans are hesitant to wear masks, but their effectiveness during the pandemic is worth the discomfort.
“(Masks) are still very unusual for us — people still feel very uneasy about it for a variety of reasons,” she said.
“But we do know that research shows that wearing a cloth mask does stop those droplets.”
Roussin said Thursday that making masks mandatory was off the table for Manitoba — which has seen nine consecutive days without a new case of the coronavirus — at the moment, despite increased restrictions in provinces like Ontario.
“We have such low transmission of the virus right now, so certainly it’s not fitting to implement any further restrictions on Manitobans at this point,” he said.
“But as we see more and more circulation of, say, this virus, and no doubt we’ll be in respiratory virus season, so we’ll see definitely see circulation of many respiratory viruses — that’s a given.“
“When we start seeing that, then our messaging might be stronger on mask use at that time.”
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