Alberta won’t mandate masks as B.C. reinstates in healthcare settings
Posted September 29, 2023 2:05 pm.
Last Updated September 30, 2023 8:14 am.
As healthcare facilities in B.C. will see the return of continuous masking next week, Alberta is reiterating it’s stance on the issue.
In a statement to CityNews, the province’s health ministry said it will not be mandating masks for Albertans.
Read more: B.C. memo outlines return of masks in health settings
The representative said it’s important to be careful around vulnerable and high-risk populations, and that can look different depending on the person and the situation.
Watch: Bonnie Henry clarifies mandatory masking in B.C. healthcare settings
“In cases where there are COVID outbreaks in healthcare facilities like long term care, we expect people to take precautions and protect themselves and others,” the statement read. “That may mean staying home, rescheduling visits or wearing a mask.”
The province says it wants to “empower local decision making” which could mean individual operators making their own own decisions based on their individual circumstances in the future.
