Masks should be used by people who need then, when they need them.
That’s the message from Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Robert Strang.
He confirmed 14 new cases of COVID-19 from a press conference Friday.
Strang said there are now 207 cases provincewide, 22 of them are in the eastern zone.
Following that announcement, he said he’s aware of concerns about masks.
Strang said they’re still looking at evidence about the effectiveness of regular people using masks to prevent the spread of the disease, but said, regardless, that could create a supply issue.
“It’s very important that surgical grade masks are preserved and used for healthcare workers and other essential workers,” he said. “Even now, if the public are choosing to use masks, it’s really important that they do not use surgical grade masks, those need to be preserved for those who truly need them.”
Strang also said he’s aware of requests from healthcare workers’ unions to increase the level of personal protective equipment workers can use when dealing with COVID-19.
He said they haven’t approved the request because they’re following the best evidence about required PPE, and using more protective equipment than required for the situation could lead to future supply shortages.
