COVID-19 Update: Edmonton Reinstates Mask Mandate

As part of Alberta’s reopening plan, Edmonton removed the city’s mask mandate on July 1. Now, with the rising daily cases of COVID-19, Edmonton’s city council voted on Monday to reinstate the face-covering bylaw effective Friday, September 3.

In explaining why this decision was made, Mayor Don Iverson said that mask-wearing has proven to be effective in reducing the transmission of COVID-19 and that reinstating the face-covering bylaw is the right step in helping ensure businesses don’t have to close again.

The mask mandate requires individuals to wear masks in all public indoor spaces including restaurants, retail stores, entertainment venues and recreation centres. The mandate will remain in effect until December 31, or until the city’s case numbers fall below 100 per 100,000 for at least 10 days straight.

Exemptions to the mask bylaw remain in place, including when people are eating or drinking in a designated seating area.

How to properly wear a face mask

As a reminder, here are some guidelines to keep in mind while wearing a mask:

• Wash your hands before and after touching the mask
• Touch only the sidebands when putting on or removing the mask
• Masks should be fitted properly on your face, but make sure you can breathe and talk comfortably
• Your nose, mouth and chin should be fully covered
• Avoid touching your mask while wearing
• Reusable masks should be washed after each use while disposable masks should be discarded after use or if visibly soiled or damaged