An online petition in regards to mandating masks in public spaces throughout British Columbia is gaining momentum.
The petition, hosted on change.org, ultimately pushes the message that with case counts on the rise in British Columbia, mandatory masks in public spaces could help curb the transmission of COVID-19.
“We have a lot to be proud of with our pandemic response here in BC. Now is the time to capitalize on our hard work by mandating mandatory mask usage in shared public spaces,” writes petition creator, Ben Hynes, in the online description.
Hynes points to projections on healthdata.org, which he says is a “leading statistical analysis site for COVID-19 data.”
These projections indicate a correlation between mask usage and case count. Hynes also highlights that the data shows him “by September 1st, an additional 15 Canadians will die every day if we do not act now.”
The petition is calling for signatures, attempting to encourage the BC Health Ministry to make face coverings a requirement while using public spaces in order to “save lives.”
“For something as trivial as leaving the house with a cloth or medical mask, the answer is clear,” says Hynes in the petition description.
As of early Friday afternoon, the petition had reached its initial goal of 5,000 signatures – expanding to a new stretch goal of 7,500 signatures.
“We need to act smart, and navigate this crisis by letting the BC Health Ministry know that we are willing to do something as simple as wear masks to control this pandemic and save lives,” writes Hynes.
“Together, we can get through this.”
This isn’t the first push by a group of people in an effort to mandate masks in British Columbia.
Last month, a collective of over 80 B.C. doctors penned a letter to the province calling for mandating face coverings.
“Our opinion is based on recent studies showing that the use of masks provides source control and may provide recipient protection,” reads the open letter from doctors.
Over recent weeks, several businesses have opted to require customers to wear masks while in their stores as well, including Wal-Mart and Starbucks.
The B.C. Government has made the decision to make masks mandatory in certain societal aspects, including while onboard BC Transit or TransLink buses. The government also opted to make masks mandatory for middle school students, secondary school students and faculty members in high-traffic areas within facilities with the return to classrooms imminent.
Masks are also currently required by Transport Canada when travelling on the BC Ferries or on domestic flights within Canada.
Provincial health officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry, has been hesitant to adopt the mandating of masks, repeatedly referred to them as the “least effective” of the many protocols in place to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Graham Cox
