KFL&A Public Health has updated their mandatory face covering order to comply with the province’s Stage 3 reopening plan.
On June 26, Dr. Kieran Moore, medical officer of health for the Kingston region, ordered that everyone visiting publically accessible businesses or facilities to wear a mask or a face covering. This came after a COVID-19 outbreak at a Kingston nail salon that infected nearly 40 people in the region.
The order also mandated that all establishments have hand sanitizer readily available and that businesses not in compliance with the order could be fined $5,000 a day.
There were exceptions to the rule, with schools, day camps, child care facilities, hospitals or health facilities and restaurant patios not having to require masks.
In addition to these exceptions, public health said children under the age of two, or any child who refuses to wear a mask is not required to and that anyone who medical reason not to wear a mask is not required to. All these exceptions still stand.
Stage 3 began Friday for many regions across the province, allowing most businesses to open, including indoor restaurants, bars and gyms. With those changes, KFL&A Public Health added new exceptions and clarifications to their original order.
Now, people in the Kingston region do not have to wear a mask if they are anywhere outdoors or if they are working in an area that is behind a physical barrier, like Plexiglass.
Public health will not require people to wear masks while they are drinking and eating, even inside restaurants, nor will they require those engaging in physical activities, like at the gym, to wear a face covering.
Moore is asking that people who use facilities like gyms and restaurants to wear masks while they are in common areas.
“So as you enter the restaurant or bar, you should have a mask on. You should be offered hand hygiene product until you’re seated. And even in a bar, you should be in a seated area,” Moore said. He added that in bars, there will be no mingling or dancing at this time.
Anyone receiving an emergency medical procedure and religious leaders, if they practise social distancing, will also be exempt from wearing masks.
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In addition to these amendments, the newly revised order notes that anyone who says they believe the mask might affect a medical condition, or inhibit their breathing, does not have to show a doctor’s note to prove any underlying condition.
Moore said public health does not want to be confrontational with their order, and that they’re aiming to keep the majority of the population masked, but not the entire population.
“The modeling shows us is that at 50 per cent of the population wearing a mask, you get a benefit. At 80 per cent, you’d get more benefit. As long as we’re at the 80 to 90 per cent of the public wearing a mask, we will reduce transmission,” Moore said.
Moore said anyone with severe respiratory issues who cannot wear a mask should not be going out into public during the pandemic, but if they chose to, public health will not be forcing them to wear a face covering.
“If they make the decision to go out and refuse to make wear a mask because they think it will make their health condition worse, we will we won’t mandate them to wear the mask,” Moore said.
He added that in the end, it’s the business establishment’s choice not to serve someone without a mask, even if they claim there is a medical reason not to — public health has no recourse to force them to serve that customer.
As for when schools reopen, Moore said public health will not be mandating that school staff wear masks, since that will be under the purview of the Ministry of Education.
“In those environments, it’s strongly recommended, but under certain educational requirements, they can take the mask off and also practice good hand hygiene.”
Moore also said he believes mandatory masking will be in place in the Kingston region until there is herd immunity or a vaccine is readily accessible.
“This practice — our, hopefully, new community standard — has to remain in place for the next year at a minimum, so that we continue to have our low level of infection, that our economy can open up safely and effectively, that we continue to protect our vulnerable patients in our community,” Moore said.
On Friday, all of the region’s previous cases were deemed resolved. One new case was identified, making the region’s total 106 cases, with 105 resolved cases.
Moore said as more people start to frequent more businesses, it’s natural to expect a jump in new cases in the coming week.
“I anticipate that in midweek, next Wednesday, Thursday, we’ll start to see a few cases come in,” Moore said.
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