Masks/Face Coverings

Masks are still required in the following situations:

• In long-term care and retirement homes (visitors may remove their mask while in a resident's room).
• When in a business, organization or facility with its own masking policy.

Masks should still be worn:

• If you are exposed to COVID-19 (or someone with symptoms), in your household or not, you should wear a high-quality, well-fitted mask for 10 days after exposure.
• If you tested positive or have symptoms of COVID-19, you should wear a high-quality, well-fitted mask for 10 days after symptom onset or the date of the test (whichever came first).
• In the above two scenarios, individuals should also avoid activities where mask removal is necessary (such as dining out, high contact sports or playing instruments at school), with the exception of essential activities like eating in a shared space at school/work while maintaining as much distancing from others as possible. Individuals who are exempt from masking (e.g. children under two years of age, etc.) may return to public settings without masking.

Note that although not required, masking is also recommended for other high-risk congregate living and acute care settings. 

Details can be found on the Ontario Ministry of Health's Face coverings and face masks page.

If you are in a setting that requires a mask, you can take it off temporarily:

• to receive services that require you to take it off (for example, at the dentist or doctor’s office)
• to engage in an athletic or fitness activity
• to eat or drink
• as necessary for health and safety purposes

In settings that require you to wear a mask, there are some situations when you should not need to wear one. You should not need medical documentation to support any of the exceptions below.

Children

Children should not have to wear a mask if they are younger than two years old.

Health and accommodations

You should not need to wear a mask if you:

• have a medical condition that inhibits your ability to wear a face covering
• are unable to put on or remove your face covering without help from someone else
• are receiving accommodations according to the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 or the Human Rights Code

Residents of care settings

Residents are not required to wear a mask in retirement homes or long-term care homes.

A mask refers to a non-medical cloth mask, medical mask or other face covering, that serves the purpose of catching respiratory droplets. The Public Health Agency of Canada recommends a 3-layer non-medical mask that includes a middle filter layer. 

How well a mask or face covering works depends on the materials used, how the mask is made, and most importantly, how well it fits. It should securely cover the nose, mouth, and chin and be in contact with the surrounding face without gapping. The mask should be comfortable to the wearer, should allow for easy breathing and should not need frequent repositioning or readjusting. 

A face shield is not a substitute for wearing a face mask as it does not filter respiratory droplets.  A face shield may provide additional protection for the wearer against droplets expelled from another person, however these droplets may still be inhaled around the shield.  Respiratory droplets expelled by the wearer may escape around the sides of the face shield, which therefore provides less protection to others. When wearing a face shield, it is recommended to also wear a properly fitted mask.

Situations for Medical Mask Use

Medical masks are recommended for:

• anyone who has tested positive for or has symptoms of COVID-19.
• people caring for someone who has tested positive or has symptoms of COVID-19.
• people who live in an overcrowded setting with someone who has tested positive or has symptoms of COVID-19.
• people who are at risk of more severe disease or outcomes from COVID-19.
• people who are at higher risk of exposure to COVID-19 because of their living situation.

Individuals in the above situations could also consider using a respirator.

Clean your hands immediately before and after putting it on and immediately before and after taking it off - that's 4 times. Continue to follow all other public health guidance while wearing a mask.

Follow these directions from the Government of Canada for:

• Putting on a face covering/cloth mask
• Taking off a face covering/cloth mask

Also check out the poster How to Wear a Mask Properly.

Proper Fit: Dos and Don’ts

The mask should:

• allow for easy breathing;
• fit securely to the head with ties or ear loops;
• be checked for tears or holes;
• be changed as soon as possible if damp or dirty;
• be comfortable and not require adjustment;
• be made of at least 3 layers;
  • two layers should be tightly woven material fabric, such as cotton or linen
  • the third (middle) layer should be a filter-type fabric, such as non-woven polypropylene fabric
• be large enough to completely and comfortably cover the nose and mouth without gaping; and
• maintain its shape after washing and drying.

The mask should not:

• be shared with others;
• impair vision or interfere with tasks;
• be made of plastic or other non-breathable materials;
• be secured with tape not meant for human skin or other inappropriate materials;
• be made exclusively of materials that easily fall apart, such as tissues;
• be touched, moved around or adjusted while using it;
• be removed to talk to someone;
• be loose or hung from your neck or ears; and
• be left within the reach of others.

As these masks are not regulated medical devices, there are limitations. You can learn more from the Government of Canada’s website.

Here are some tips that can help to prevent your glasses from fogging up while wearing a mask or face covering.  These suggestions will help to create a seal on the top part of the mask so that the air you breathe out does not come out inside your glasses.

Rest your glasses on your mask: Whatever type of mask you’re wearing (procedural, surgical or cloth), fit the mask to the bridge of your nose. Cover a quarter inch (~ 6mm) of the top of the mask with the bottom of your frames to create a seal. Ensure mask covers your nose, mouth and chin completely.

Create a seal: Try twisting the ear loops once and put them over your ears (they’ll form a figure eight when viewed from the side). This puts downward pressure on the top part of the mask. Pinch the mask over the bridge of your nose so it fits comfortably.

Close the gap: If your mask isn’t snug enough on the bridge of your nose, you can close the gap with medical tape. Don’t use ANY kind of tape that isn’t meant to be used on human skin.

Anti-fogging solutions: You can also try washing your lenses with a mild dish detergent and water before wearing them. Air dry or use a soft cloth to wipe your lenses. DON’T use any solution with a chemical in it, e.g. Windex, as this could ruin your lenses.

Order a coating for new lenses: If you’re ordering new glasses, consider lenses with a permanent anti-fogging coating. This prevents the fogging that happens when you transition from a cold environment to a warm one. Note that not all optical shops offer anti-fogging coating so call ahead.

All types of masks should be changed when they get damp, dirty or crumpled.

Disposable Masks

• Do not reuse disposable masks. 
• When you are finished wearing a disposable mask, place it into a garbage can right away and clean your hands immediately.
• Do not leave it in a shopping cart or on the ground.
• Disposable filters should be changed daily or as directed by the manufacturer.

Reusable Masks

Cloth masks or face coverings can be re-used throughout the day if they are not damp, dirty or damaged.

To reuse a cloth mask or face covering:

• With clean hands, remove the mask from your face using the ties or ear loops.
• Fold the mask in half with the outer surface facing inwards (so that the contaminated outer surface does not touch anything during storage).
• Store your reusable mask in a clean container that you can seal (e.g. bag or storage container) until you are ready to wear it again.
• Label bags and containers with the user’s name to prevent accidental misuse.
• Do not store masks in your pocket or other area (e.g. table) where they can become damaged or contaminated.

To clean a cloth mask:

• If using a washing machine, put the mask directly into the machine. Wash masks with other items using a hot cycle with laundry detergent (no special soaps are needed). If washing by hand, scrub the mask using soap and hot water.
• Discard any dirty bags or wash any reusable containers that dirty masks were in.
• Dry masks in a dryer if they will retail their shape and fit, or hang or lay flat on a clean surface to air dry.
• Store your clean reusable mask in a clean container that you can seal (e.g. bag or storage container) until you are ready to wear it again. 
• Reusable masks with a non-woven filter layer should be washed daily, and can be washed multiple times.