'Don't like it, but I will': Londoners react to province's mask recommendation
It's time to mask back up, according to the Ontario government and London's healthcare leaders.
"It is important that all of us try and mask more," said Dr. Alex Summers, Middlesex-London's medical officer of health.
"As we hear about stressors on healthcare capacity across the province, we have to know that impacts us here too. Regardless of what our wait times are, or regardless of what our bed situation is here," added Summers.
Wearing a mask more often and getting vaccinated against circulating respiratory viruses like the ones causing COVID-19, RSV and the seasonal flu will reduce the surge of cases showing up at hospitals right now, according to Summers.
In particular, it will help slow transmission among young children, currently filling up emergency departments across the province, said Summers.
He added, "The reason we're talking about kids right now is not that the individual risk for any particular kid is that high from any of these viruses. The challenge is that they're all getting sick all at once."
That message was echoed in a statement issued from the Medical Officer of Health for Southwestern Public Health, Dr. Ninh Tran.
"I ask that everyone in this community recommit to using layers of protection that we know guard our community," said Tran. "I strongly recommend that everyone wear a mask in indoor settings if you work with, care for, or socialize with the very young, the elderly, or those who are immunocompromised."
"I put a mask on usually," said Sandy Gignac, a London resident CTV News London spoke with. "There's a lot of flu out there, and a COVID uptick again, so just to be safe."
"I will use it," added Edward Lipski, another Londoner. "Don't like it, but I will."
The province stopped short of making indoor masking mandatory at this point, but suggested a mandate may come if deemed necessary.
"I have a grandson in public school, and he's had everyone sick for three weeks," said London resident Kathy Vansickle. "I wish they would have started the masking right from the very beginning this year."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
House of Commons Speaker Greg Fergus survives vote calling for his ouster
Greg Fergus survived a vote to oust him as House of Commons Speaker on Tuesday, but with close to half of MPs expressing a loss of confidence in him, he faces a precarious path forward in maintaining order in Parliament.
'It was hell': Israeli mother held hostage with her children describes 51 days in captivity
Hagar Brodutch, her three children and four-year-old neighbour were kidnapped by Hamas-led militants from their home in Kfar Aza, Israel on Oct. 7 and held for 51 days. They were released in November, but Brodutch says her thoughts are never far from those still being held in Gaza.
'Unruly passenger' forces WestJet flight to make emergency landing in B.C.
A WestJet flight heading to Calgary had to make an emergency landing in northern B.C. Monday due to an incident involving an 'unruly passenger,' Mounties say.
P.E.I. kiteboarder 'lucky to be alive' after shark attack in Turks and Caicos
A professional kiteboarder from P.E.I. says he has been seriously injured in a shark attack that occurred while he was snorkelling in the Turks and Caicos Islands last week.
Teen dies after being hit by train in N.W. Calgary
A teenager has died after being hit by a train in northwest Calgary on Tuesday afternoon.
Black bear kebabs make family sick with parasitic worms
It was supposed to be a celebration, but one family’s unique meal of black bear meat sent several members to the hospital instead.
'It's his vacation too': Jimmy the baby goat joins 2-week road trip across Canada
After Jimmy the baby goat was shunned by his mother, a New Brunswick man took the kid on a two-week road trip across Canada.
The double-level airplane seat is back. This time, there’s a first-class version
It’s the airplane seat design that launched a thousand memes and kickstarted a media storm. And now the double-level seat is back – only this time, with a twist.
New COVID-19 subvariants become the dominant strains in Canada
More than four years after COVID-19 effectively shut down the world, two new variants of COVID-19 have become the dominant strains of the novel coronavirus in Canada.