British Columbia in Western Canada has ended the mandatory mask requirement in healthcare institutions due to the decrease in coronavirus and influenza cases in the province.

At the same time, visitors to long-term care centers will no longer need to provide a rapid COVID-19 test and vaccination passport.

Dr. Bonnie Henry, Chief Medical Officer of British Columbia, said that the mask "remains an important tool for healthcare workers: healthcare professionals will wear the mask based on their risk assessment."

She explained that masks will remain mandatory in some high-risk places and for patients exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms.

It is also worth noting that the vaccination of healthcare workers will remain mandatory in this province.

Starting this week, booster doses will be available for seniors aged 80 and over, Indigenous seniors aged 70 and over, and people aged 18 and over with chronic diseases.

People aged 60 or older, Indigenous people aged 50 or older, who have not contracted COVID-19 will also be eligible to receive a booster dose.

For his part, Sanjeev Gandhi, Deputy Leader of the Green Party in British Columbia, criticized this decision.

In a statement, he said he "feels deeply disappointed" after lifting the mask mandate in healthcare settings, saying it "removes one of the last lines of defense for the most vulnerable populations in the province against coronavirus infection."

Meanwhile, Dr. Lyn Pylaturo, a retired emergency physician and spokesperson for the Protect Our Province BC association, said "it is really frustrating for everyone in British Columbia because it means you are more likely to get infected if you seek medical care, and it also means that more diseases will spread in our long-term care."