Non-medical masks will be mandatory for people in indoor public spaces in Newfoundland and Labrador, starting Aug.24.
The new rule applies to people aged five and older.
The special order means people will have to wear masks in stores, places of worship and other spaces.
Non-medical face masks help protect against the spread of COVID-19, Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Janice Fitzgerald says in a video on the provincial government’s website Monday, showing kids how to safely put on their masks.
Fitzgerald made the announcement Monday, in addition to releasing details for the return-to-school plan for the Newfoundland and Labrador English School District.
Masks will have to be worn by people in public indoor places, and well as on school buses. The head of a group that represents several private school bus operators had previously said non-medical masks should be mandatory on buses when kids climb on board in September.
The wearing of masks will not be mandatory in classrooms when students return in the fall; instead, it will be a personal choice for students and their parents or guardians.
However, masks will be required in schools’ communal areas of a school — such as hallways, washrooms and entrances — for high school students and staff, and for junior high school students.
Previously, Fitzgerald and public health officials had encouraged people to wear masks in public spaces, as well as to practice physical distancing, but they were not mandatory until Monday’s announcement.
Story courtesy of CBC Newfoundland and Labrador.