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“When you make things mandatory, there are always side effects,” said Dr. Horacio Arruda, Quebec’s director of public health. “The best thing is people understand … please wear your mask. I know it’s not normal, but it should become a reflex.”
Arruda said wearing masks will save lives — particularly if the disease continues to circulate in the fall.
Officials have strongly promoted wearing a mask in situations where physical distancing isn’t possible, but had resisted making them mandatory for a number of reasons, including access.
But Legault said the province is in a different phase now.
“Wearing a mask is not about fear — it’s about respect,” Legault said. “Wearing a mask protects other people in case we’re infected, so I ask all Quebecers to follow the public health instruction out of respect for each other.”
Quebec reported 68 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday along with 18 more deaths — seven of which were in the previous 24 hours.
The province now has reported 55,458 infections and a total of 5,503 deaths.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 30, 2020.
