Canada Isn't Planning On Having Separate Rules For Fully Vaccinated People

Canada won't have separate rules about what vaccinated people can do once they've gotten their doses; the country will focus on a collective, community approach instead.

During a press conference on May 13, Deputy Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Howard Njoo said that the country won't be following what the U.S. did in terms of lifting restrictions on masks and distancing for people who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

"It's not about what an individual should be able to do with one or two doses, it's more about what we're seeing in the population as a whole especially with the vaccine coverage," he said, adding that Canada will look at things like reproduction, positivity and hospitalization rates and vaccine coverage to see if restrictions can be scaled back.

"For something like the face masks, I would say that would be probably one of the last things to go," Njoo explained. "I think it's just a good practice to keep on right until the fall until, hopefully, everyone will have received hopefully two doses by September."

Recently, Justin Trudeau revealed that this year's summer could be normal if restrictions stay in place until cases go down and at least 75% of people get at least one vaccine dose. Canada is expected to have received enough doses for that to happen by then and enough by September "for every Canadian to be fully vaccinated."

What has Dr. Theresa Tam said about rules for fully vaccinated people?

In April, Dr. Theresa Tam revealed that public health measures have been working, but said that Canadians still have to keep up those measures no matter their vaccination status.

"Even after you've received the vaccine, hand washing, physical distancing and mask-wearing remain as important as ever," Tam said.

This guidance that has been given by Canada's top doctors is a bit different than what's been said in the U.S.

After new rules for fully vaccinated Americans about masks and distancing were released by the CDC on May 13, President Joe Biden tweeted that people need to get vaccinated or continue to wear a mask until they do.