On Thursday, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry announced that effective Friday, March 11, British Columbians will no longer be forced to cover their air pathways with a mask when inside public spaces, stating masks will “no longer be required or necessary.”

BREAKING: Effective March 11th, British Columbians will no longer be forced to wear face coverings inside indoor public spaces. pic.twitter.com/KRUhfvWN2v

— Hungry for Truth with Drea Humphrey (@DreaHumphrey) March 10, 2022

The same change will apply to workplace mask requirements, although businesses can still choose to require masks on their premises.

Among other changes to COVID-19 restrictions for the province, visitations for those in long-term care have been partially restored. Residents in long-term care will still be forbidden from having visits from loved ones who have not yet received two doses of a COVID-19 injection.

Although Dr. Henry previously stated that B.C.'s vaccine passport would be in place at least until the end of June, the province now “intends to” drop the policy on April 8.

Despite losing more frontline health-care workers to vaccine mandates than any other province, Henry made no mention of repealing such orders that are preventing health-care professionals from returning to work.

Henry also significantly backpedaled on her recent threat to enforce another mandate that would require all regulated health-care workers to receive COVID inoculations by March 24 or lose their right to practise their profession.

You can sign our petition calling on the B.C. government to allow health professionals to provide care for British Columbians at LetThemCare.ca.