If masks work, why are we seeing more COVID-19 cases?

Dr. Brent Roussin is Manitoba's chief public health officer. The question has been a common one on Manitoban’s minds in recent weeks as the number of positive cases continues to climb. In the Winnipeg Metropolitan region, which has been declared “Orange” under the Pandemic Response System, masks are mandatory in all nearly public indoor spaces. Meanwhile, many stores outside of the Orange region are implementing masks anyway. Again, with so many people covering their faces so much of the time, how is it that the virus continues to spread?

That query was brought before Dr. Brent Roussin Wednesday afternoon. The chief medical officer says people should not connect the merit of masks to the surge in case numbers.

"There are a couple of things to that,” he notes. “You cannot judge the effectiveness just based on these numbers. The simple epidemiology would say that, if we did not have that control, the numbers could be twice what they are now."

Roussin readily admits that masks in and of themselves are not the only measure needed to stop the spread of the deadly virus. Face coverings were never intended to be the only precaution, “we have always said they were an additional measure to be taken," stresses the doctor. "No measure by itself will work one hundred per cent of the time, but we should continue to wear masks."

Roussin notes transmissions are still entirely possible within households where people do not typically wear masks. As well, he believes the main reason cases are increasing is due to prolonged close contact between people.

To see a difference in the number of COVID-19 cases, Roussin says Manitobans will need to consistently follow all public health recommendations and not pick and choose only the measures they agree with.