‘Use your best mask,’ chief medical health officer advises

With the COVID-19 Omicron variant poised to become the dominant strain in Saskatchewan, chief medical health officer Dr. Saqib Shahab is advising people to wear the most effective masks they can get their hands on.

Speaking during a briefing with the Provincial Emergency Operations Centre, Shahab said Omicron is much more contagious than any other variant so far.

“It will spread much more quickly. So if you have 20 people gathered at someone’s home, with Delta, you could have had five (people) get exposed. With Omicron, you get 15 exposed,” he said.

Over the holidays, he’s not only asking people to gather in smaller numbers, to open windows for extra ventilation, and to use rapid tests before gathering, but also to upgrade their mask game.

“Use your best mask possible, even indoors with friends and family. Some people feel a bit self-conscious. Now is not the time to feel self-conscious,” he said.

Shahab says it’s time now to make sure we’re wearing our masks properly, and to evaluate what kinds of masks we’re wearing.

Guidelines on mask use have changed over the last few weeks.

According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, well-fitted, well-constructed and properly worn masks can help lower the risk of contracting COVID-19. They should cover the nose, mouth and chin, and not have any gaps.

Face shields, neck warmers, bandannas and scarves are not recommended. Shields can be work in addition to masks, but they don’t protect against infectious particles.

As for cloth masks, they should be made of at least two layers of tightly woven fabric along with a middle filter layer. However, they don’t filter nearly as many particles as surgical masks, N95s or KN95s.

Surgical masks can be more effective, but can also have gaps. Those gaps can be covered with a cloth mask worn over top of it.

As for N95s or KN95s, they are generally single use, but Health Canada says they can be reused until they become visibly dirty, damp, or damaged. They do not need to be formally fitted for general community use.