B.C.'s fully vaccinated premier to keep masking up around strangers, on transit

John Horgan puts on his mask following a news conference at the Legislature in Victoria, Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020. (Chad Hipolito / THE CANADIAN PRESS)

Vancouver -

British Columbia's mask mandate is being lifted on Thursday, but not everyone will be taking full advantage of the relaxed rules – including the premier.

On Tuesday, officials confirmed the province has made enough progress vaccinating residents and limiting COVID-19 transmission to enter Step 3 of the government's restart plan on Canada Day.

Among the restrictions disappearing that day is the order requiring face-coverings in all indoor public spaces, which will be replaced by a recommendation that people age 12 and up continue masking up in those settings until they're fully immunized.

The government noted that some people may want to continue wearing their masks in some situations, even after they have had both shots of vaccine, and Premier John Horgan gave a few examples of his own.

"I'm going to be wearing a mask if I'm with a group of people that I do not know – if I'm on a bus, on a ferry, if I'm on an airplane," said Horgan, who received his second dose of AstraZeneca on June 18.

The government has asked that people continue wearing masks in indoor public spaces until 14 days after their second shot.

Health officials also noted that some businesses and services may independently decide to require mask use, and asked the public to respect those decisions.

TransLink responded to Tuesday's announcement with a statement urging passengers to keep masking up for the time being "as a precautionary measure to protect themselves, fellow customers, and our employees."

While the government's Step 3 mask recommendation only applies to people who aren't fully vaccinated, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said people should be taken at their word when it comes to their immunization status.

"There's no need for people to provide proof of vaccination. We know that most people in British Columbia are doing the right thing and we expect that will continue," she said.

She also encouraged people to offer a similar courtesy to those who continue choosing to wear masks voluntarily in settings where they aren't required.

"We need to remember that we all need to go on our own pace, and there are some reasons why we maybe feel more at risk or it may be more important for us to protect ourselves using masks," Henry said.