Peterborough Public Health announced on Monday (July 20) that face coverings will become mandatory for local residents in most indoor settings as of 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, August 1st.
After collaborating with local municipal leaders, Peterborough medical officer of health Dr. Rosana Salvaterra is invoking a directive under Ontario’s Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act to require people to wear a face covering in certain indoor public spaces.
“Under the directive, the person responsible for a business or organization that is open shall operate it in compliance with the advice, recommendations and instructions of public health officials, including any advice, recommendations or instructions on physical distancing, cleaning or disinfecting,” reads a media release from Peterborough Public Health.
“The directive applies to all owners and operators of commercial establishments, public transit services, and commercial transportation services within the Peterborough Public Health catchment area.”
Peterborough Public Health’s catchment are includes the City of Peterborough, Peterborough County, and Hiawatha and Curve Lake First Nations. Face masks have already been made mandatory in the health units surrounding Peterborough, including the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit serving Kawartha Lakes, Haliburton, and Northumberland and the Hastings Prince Edward Public Health serving Hastings and Prince Edward counties.
“Although not conclusive, there is increasing scientific evidence that wearing a face covering can help reduce COVID-19 transmission,” says Dr. Salvaterra. “This measure will help both residents and visitors to our area and adds to a clear and consistent regionalized approach to mandatory face coverings across the Central Ontario region, especially as we move into Stage 3 of our restart.”
Peterborough Public Health is using existing networks to communicate to owners and operators directly. The directive will be enacted and enforced in good faith and will be primarily used as a means to educate people on mandatory mask use in enclosed public spaces.
“We have heard directly from many local residents and community partners that a clear mandatory mask directive is important to them to keep our community safe,” says Dr. Salvaterra. “Socializing and normalizing mask use in enclosed public places will help protect others, especially our most vulnerable residents.”
Dr. Salvaterra adds it is important not to stigmatize those who are unable to wear face coverings for medical reasons.
“Being kind, patient and respectful to others is just as important as any infection control measure as we also must remember to support each other’s mental health during the pandemic,” she says.
As with mask-wearing directives from other public health units, some people will not be required to wear a face covering. According to the Peterborough Public Health directive, a person will be exempt from wearing a face covering if:
- The person is a child under the age of two years, or is a child under the age of five years either chronologically or developmentally and he or she refuses to wear a face covering and cannot be persuaded to do so by their caregiver
- The person is incapacitated and unable to remove their face covering without assistance
- Wearing a face covering would inhibit the person’s ability to breathe such as, but not limited to, during athletic, fitness or physical activity or any activity that would preclude its use (such as swimming)
- For any other medical reason, the person cannot safely wear a face covering such as, but not limited to, respiratory disease, cognitive difficulties or difficulties in hearing or processing information
- For any religious reason, the person cannot wear a face covering.
The public health directive will remain in place until provincial emergency orders expire, which were recently extended until July 29th.
However, on July 7th, the Government of Ontario introduced the Reopening Ontario (A Flexible Response to COVID-19) Act, 2020. If passed, the legislation will ensure emergency orders remain in place to address the threat of COVID-19 once the province’s state of emergency has has ended. The government continues to review emergency orders currently in place to determine when and if they can be safely eased or lifted.
PDF – Peterborough Public Health Directive on Mandatory Face Coverings
Peterborough Public Health Directive on Mandatory Face Coverings
This story has been updated to include face covering exemptions, links to the Peterborough Public Health website for additional details, and a copy of the directive.
