Another BC university may be re-implementing a mask mandate despite the province having lifted its order compelling indoor public spaces to do so..The University of Victoria (UVic) senate voted in favour of a motion to reinstate universal masking immediately, according to the school’s faculty association and the Martlet student newspaper..The recommendation will now be sent to the president and board of governors for approval..UVic, among other BC universities, dropped its mask mandate on March 11, the day after provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry ended the province-wide order for public indoor masking..In contrast, the University of British Columbia (UBC) is the only major post-secondary institute in BC to maintain its face-covering policy, prompting students and staff elsewhere to call for their respective universities to follow UBC’s lead..“UBC has taken a much more prudent and diligent approach — and UVic should have followed suit,” writes Marlet..“Lifting the indoor public mask mandate is extremely unethical, inequitable, and erroneous. The BC government should return to their senses and reinstate a mandatory indoor mask order as soon as possible.”.Marlet’s artwork depicts a masked individual seemingly terrorized by a group of unmasked ghost-like figures.. Screen-Shot-2022-03-25-at-1.18.47-PMSie Douglas-Fish / Marlet .Aside from post-secondary schools calling for the return of mask mandates, many demand the same for K-12 students..A BC advocacy group is calling on government officials to implement a universal mask mandate at K-12 facilities when students and staff return after spring break, and the group says a failure to do so “could be a human rights violation.”.In addition to education settings, various businesses in BC still require staff and customers to cover their airways. For those still subject to mask mandates, a variety of companies have popped up selling visually deceptive and highly breathable face-coverings..Reid Small is a BC-based reporter for the Western Standard.,rsmall@westernstandardonline.com,.Twitter.com/reidsmall
