Engineer_abroad

the issue is that PPE is at the bottom of the hazard control hierarchy and is always considered a last line of defence. In of itself it never provides sufficient control and is absolutely not a substitute for socially distancing. I believe the reluctance to mandate their use is based on the following:
- leads to false sense of security in wearer
- requires discipline of the user (most the public is not trained or have built up the required long term habits needed to properly use PPE)
- could be seen as a short cut to ‘normal’ and encourages laziness especially by businesses.i.e. It’s ok
to have a 100 people in my store because they are wearing masks.

Jerseygirl

It is beneficial, that’s why Toronto and surrounding districts are pushing a bill through to make masks wearing mandatory.

Engineer_abroad

I would think if Covid has taught us anything it is that just because a government / government agency says something it doesn’t mean it is true or even accurate.

Shard

​​​​​​If infection rates increase, that may well happen. I think some US cities are considering it presently.

Shard

You need a strong and simple analogy to get through to people. Anti-vaxing is certainly a problem of a similar nature.

Jerseygirl

the medical profession seem to think masks will help prevent the spread.

OrangeMango

After three months of Corona crisis the boredom started to settle in for me. One is simply tired of ever changing rules and regulations when going out, even if it's about a bit of relaxation and in the end, one prefers to stay home and not do much. No job or income in sight, stranded in a foreign country, but enough money to keep going for a while, and also not really a lot of motivation because of this pandemic. Theoretically I should have moved to Canada by now, however the 14 day isolation is just no option. So it's waiting, waiting and waiting.......

Also, the feeling is not there that "we're all in this together". It's more like the feeling, "none have understanding for the other's problems" and "everyone is caught in a different situation" these days......

Even worse this new "un-normal" could be going on for years and years.....

scrubbedexpat091

Masks are mandatory in a variety of places in the US, some at state level, some at county level, some at city level, but people are still not bothering, and in some states like California where the governor has made masks mandatory there is push back with some Sheriff's saying they will not enforce the mandatory mask order.

https://www.latimes.com/california/s...rs-coronavirus

Of course the Sheriff is an elected law enforcement position, so unlike say a City Chief of Police who can be fired easily for not following orders, the Sheriff cannot be fired so easily since they are elected official just like politicians, and essentially a Sheriff is just a politician who happens to be a cop.

The general population also in general isn't all that cooperative which doesn't help.

I think Washington State has also made masks mandatory but facing similiar backlash from the general population.

Masks are not mandatory in BC and its hit and miss as to how many have masks, and where you are, some areas have higher mask usage than other areas, but seems majority of people are not wearing masks correctly, so not sure how effective it is when the nose isn't covered.

https://news.gov.bc.ca/factsheets/no...uring-covid-19

Shard

Good to know, thanks. I guess if Joe Public doesn't want to listen to the experts, Mr Corona himself will have a word. It does seem that in the US, the time for delusion and wishful thinking is coming to an end.

Nand

Yes that and more pictures of what it is like living with the ongoing symptoms of the Covid19 disease that will never go away. Like never being able to draw a full breath of air into lungs again, incurable brain damage, nerve damage and even sepsis infection. Those images could be made into large posters on the sides of buses maybe. Whatever works to get people to be willing to do anything to not be contagious or infected.

dbd33

We seem to be in a new phase now, the US has lost the option to control the virus through track and trace:

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/06/29/cdc-...s-country.html

What if it's never safe to open the border?

Rete

Danny B

If the USA becomes the worlds COVID epicenter for the next year or so, it would be extremely foolish of Canada if we opened our border with them. I don't have any plans to go into the USA for the next decade or so. Build the big beautiful wall.

The EU has decided that from Wednesday EU borders will be reopened to citizens from 15 non-EU countries, including Canada, Morocco and Australia, but not the US, Brazil and Russia.

caretaker

Political toxicity has been keeping me out for the past while, so that would have to be cleaned up as well as the virus to get my business back. The scandal stories about US border guards detaining Canadian housewives for no apparent reason are probably a couple of years old, but still troubling.

Engineer_abroad

clearly not enough for those in Canada to make it mandatory in all circumstances. There is clearly some discussion in the field as to wether they help or hinder when viewed in a holistic way.