B.C. Dropping Mask Mandate, Announces Date for Lifting Vaccine Passport

B.C. is dropping its mask mandate and vaccine card program as COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations continue to drop to pre-omicron levels in the province.

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry announced the major shift in health policy Thursday, saying that the mask ordinance would be discontinued as of Friday, while the vaccine card program will end Friday, April 8.

The policy shift means people will not be required to wear a mask in indoor public spaces, a rule that has been in place since near the start of the pandemic in 2020.

It also means that students will no longer be required to wear masks in schools after the spring break.

Henry added that masking will remain a requirement for some higher-risk settings, such as health care facilities and doctors' offices.

Despite dropping the public indoor mask requirement, henry encouraged those who feel they need the additional layer of protection to continue wearing them.

BC Ferries confirmed that masks would no longer be mandatory at terminals and onboard vessels but that they recommend people still use masks.