Canadian Politics Today

I'm confused:

Feb/march 2020:  Don't wear masks

Back in early 2020, they didn't know that much about the disease. Plus, there were concerns about the supply of surgical and N95 masks and wanted to ensure there were enough for medical use. That's why in the very early stages they didn't recommend wearing them.

April 2020 to Jan 2022:  Don't anywhere without a mask

Yes, because by then they 1) Knew they were effective (even cloth masks provided some protection), and 2) Increased supply meant that they didn't need to reserve them for medical use.

Dec 2021 to Feb 2022:  Get your booster or you're effed.

Yes. And?

Covid is still a relatively new disease. Vaccines are safe and effective, but we're still learning about how well the protect long-term. Getting double vaxed does offer protection... a booster simply offers MORE protection.

March 2022:  You don't have to wear a mask

Yes, that's partly because there were enough people who were smart enough to, you know, actually get vaccinated AND get the booster. This has caused both cases in general, and hospitalizations due to covid to drop..

It should also be noted that the cancellation of mask mandates is probably based as much on politics as it is on science. Cases have dropped significantly since the recent omicron spike, but they are still higher than they were back in mid-2021, when the Delta variant was causing all sorts of problems. There are epidemiologists who think we should maintain mask mandates at least for a few more days (until they know for sure that cases aren't going to start increasing following the relaxation of vaccination rules.)

If people were smart, they would continue to support mask mandates. (They are cheap, they are effective, and they do not cause economic disruptions like lockdowns do.) But, as the documentary Men in Black stated... "A person is smart. People are dumb, panicky dangerous animals". Between the covidiots and a general misunderstanding of science by even well-meaning people, things like mask mandates are falling out of favor.