B.C.’s health minister is warning residents that the upcoming winter could be a bad one for colds and flu viruses.
But a reinstatement of mask mandates does not appear to be in the works.
“We are preparing for what we expect to be a difficult winter,” Health Minister Adrian Dix said Monday.
“We’re continuing to take steps to prepare on the plan we laid out a couple of months ago, so we have to prepare our health-care system for that.”
Canada is seeing an increase in influenza, COVID-19 and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). In addition, there have been reports of long waits at emergency rooms and a shortage of children’s liquid ibuprofen and acetaminophen products.
On Tuesday, a group of organizations sent an open letter to the provincial government asking it to immediately reinstate universal masking in all public spaces.
“With masking, fewer British Columbians will get sick, helping to ‘flatten the curve’, and reduce the impact on our already strained hospitals and overburdened health-care staff,” the letter reads.
“We are also calling for a public education campaign explaining why masks are an effective tool against respiratory infections with emphasis on the importance of mask fit and better filtration-grade respirators.”
However, Dix said Tuesday that people should consider wearing masks in indoor public spaces but said a mask mandate won’t be coming.
He will be part of a health briefing on Wednesday morning at 11 a.m. but warned it is just about the upcoming cold and flu season.
“Don’t expect big announcements,” Dix said. “This is part of the normal presentation of public health information and bringing people up to date.”
A B.C. doctor said she is concerned about the pressure on the health-care system.
“The respiratory virus incidence is rising and we’re seeing it out in the community,” Dr. Anna Wolak, a family physician told Global News. “And I know I’m not the only physician who is being slammed with all these same-day appointments for all these little ones who are coming in sick.”
She said she would like to see a stronger response from the province.
“If we just look at what’s happening in Ontario, their hospitals are operating at 120 per cent capacity and their pediatric ICUs are full.
“We don’t want to see that.”