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Many jurisdictions – including the City of Toronto – are now requiring people to wear masks indoors in public places to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.

“These measures are intended to delay the spread of disease, particularly from those who may be asymptomatic or presymptomatic, but still infectious,” says Vivek Goel, a professor at the University of Toronto’s Dalla Lana School of Public Health and a special adviser to the president and provost, helping to guide the university’s COVID-19 planning efforts.

Staying home if you’re symptomatic, washing your hands and practising physical distancing remain important measures, Goel says. He adds that most mandatory mask policies provide exemptions for children under the age of two and people with health conditions that prevent them from wearing a mask.

 “It is important that we treat each other with respect and avoid turning situations where people are not wearing masks into confrontations.”

The COVID-19: What’s Next podcast is created by Goel, the founding head of Public Health Ontario, which was set up in response to the 2003 SARS outbreak, in collaboration with a University of Toronto Communications team led by producer Lisa Lightbourn.

Note: The information in this podcast is current as of the posting date. Listeners should consult their local public health agency for the latest information in their jurisdiction.

See a complete list of all the podcast episodes