by Today’s Trucking
April 15, 2020
OTTAWA, Ont. – The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) has advised, effective immediately, that all essential workers crossing the Canada-U.S. border must wear a non-medical mask or face covering.
Truck drivers, being essential workers, must comply with the new policy to help curb the spread of Covid-19, but will not be turned away from entering into Canada. The Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA) was informed by the Canadian Border Services Agency, which has been directed by the PHAC to implement the face-mask policy, that it will attempt to provide drivers with a mask should they not have one.
“In addition, all travelers arriving in Canada will be required to wear a non-medical mask or face covering to proceed to their final destination where they will isolate or quarantine,” a CTA release stated. “They will be provided with a mask if they do not have one.”
Non-medical masks are not medical devices, and not regulated like medical masks or respirators. A homemade non-medical mask is made of a cloth, like cotton, and may include pockets to insert other masks or filters and are not to be worn over N95 respirators.
Though non-medical masks may not be effective at blocking all virus particles that could be transmitted by coughing or sneezing, medical masks, such as the N95 model, need to be kept for healthcare workers and other providing direct care to Covid-19 patients.
A homemade, non-medical face mask.