Experts anticipate the back-to-school season will mean increased circulation of RSV, influenza and COVID-19. (James Arthur Gekiere/Belga Mag/AFP/Getty Images)
Any chance of mask mandates or lockdowns?
Health experts consulted for this piece agreed that a fall COVID-19 wave would be unlikely to induce mask mandates or lockdowns.
“I don’t think there’s anything that we’re seeing right now that would suggest we should go into lockdown or anything like we’ve seen in the past, in terms of early pandemic public health measures.,” Graber said.
Razak agreed.
“Unless there is significant change in the nature of the virus, I think it’s very unlikely a mask mandate will be something any government in North America or Europe considers,” he said. “A mask mandate at this point would do more harm than good.”
Razak did distinguish between general mask mandates and those for higher risk environments like hospitals, adding that the latter is something he hopes provinces will consider.
As it is, Razak said he expects mask use to be very low this winter.
“There is a sense that the pandemic has passed,” Razak said. “This is going to be a very difficult challenge for public health leadership to get people to get vaccinated.”
All health experts consulted assured masking and vaccination continue to be the best ways to reduce the spread of the virus.
“Regardless of the variant, there are things we can do to decrease spread of respiratory illness,” Etches said.
“Wearing a mask as we get back to work or school is one thing we can do to help decrease transmission, keeping our hands clean, not touching our face with unclean hands, these are things to remind ourselves to practice again as we head into the fall.”