B.C. Premier pledges to wear a mask if he can't physically distance

Premier John Horgan echoed comments from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau saying he'll be donning a face mask whenever he is unable to keep two metres away from people in public.

"I'll certainly be wearing a mask if I can't physically distance. I encourage all other British Columbians to do the same thing," the premier said at a press conference Wednesday .

The comments came after Chief Public Health Officer Theresa Tam made an official recommendation saying Canadians should wear masks in public in situations where physical distancing is impossible. Trudeau said he had been wearing a mask in public and in Parliament under those circumstances.

"That's my personal choice. I think that's what is aligned with what public health is recommending," he said. 

The messaging around non-medical mask usage hasn't always been clear during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some jurisdictions around the world have adopted mandatory mask usage — like the Czech Republic, for example — while others like B.C. have made it a personal choice.

Dr. Raj Bhardwaj, a CBC medical columnist, says evidence that people can spread the virus when they have no symptoms has emerged in the past months.

"As that became more well known, we evolved into different approaches around masks," Bhardwaj said. "If we aren't learning from our experiences and our mistakes, then we aren't advancing."

In a statement, B.C.'s Public Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix reiterated that wearing a non-medical cloth mask will not protect you from coronavirus, but it will keep respiratory droplets in so you won't pass the virus onto others. 

They also emphasized the importance of other public health principles in preventing the spread of the virus. 

"We have to remember that face coverings keep our droplets in and don't prevent transmission from others. The best ways for us to stay safe is to wash our hands, maintain a safe physical distance from others and keep our 'rules' for social interactions top of mind," their statement read.

Georgia Krebs, an artist based in Penticton, B.C., has made several cloth masks to wear when she goes out. She says, for her, wearing a mask is about respect for others.

"I wear it when I go into a store. It's not for my protection, but it's for the respect of the person who is working there," Krebs said.

"If they're going to stand there at the cash desk, even with a plastic screen, or even if they're going to help you with something ... I feel like it makes them more comfortable. I know it makes me feel more comfortable for what they're doing."

If you have a COVID-19-related story we should pursue that affects British Columbians, please email us at impact@cbc.ca