Wilfrid Laurier University in Ontario lifted its remaining face mask requirements on Thursday, to the delight of one student who rebelled against the policy by wearing random household objects as face coverings.."I couldn’t be happier. All the work leading up to this didn’t go to waste," said fourth-year philosophy student Kamil Bachouchi, who opposed the school's mandatory mask policy at every turn.."I’m happy for the students that won’t feel pressure from the school or teachers that want to assert dominance. I want the school to explain themselves and provide a reason or an apology, so I won’t feel fulfilled until then. However, I will take this win. I feel good about this..Wilfred Laurier said that while face coverings will no longer be mandatory anywhere on campus, students are still encouraged to respects others' choices to continue wearing masks. Students are also urged to continue self-monitoring for symptoms of respiratory diseases and stay home when ill.."The university may re-implement health and safety requirements at any time in response to changing conditions," they added..After the school brought back its masking policy on Nov. 8, 2022, Bachouchi decided he would wear a different mask every day until the school dropped the "authoritarian" requirement. He sported a bell pepper, a head of lettuce, grapefruit, plastic bag, and a scuba mask to mock the mask mandate..Bachouchi said he didn't believe cloth masks could prevent COVID-19 outbreaks on campus, adding people should be free to decide whether or not they wear masks because “it’s a fundamental right to medical choice.” .Wilfred Laurier's decision to drop the mandate comes just a week after Western University in London, ON dropped its mask mandate in instructional spaces. Western said in a statement the move was made at the recommendation of Ontario’s chief medical officer of Health, as the rates of respiratory illnesses in the province continue to decline..“Public health officials across the country agree COVID-19 will be with us for the foreseeable future, and as we learn to live with it, we will continue to adjust and adapt,” Western said in the release.
Wilfrid Laurier University in Ontario lifted its remaining face mask requirements on Thursday, to the delight of one student who rebelled against the policy by wearing random household objects as face coverings.."I couldn’t be happier. All the work leading up to this didn’t go to waste," said fourth-year philosophy student Kamil Bachouchi, who opposed the school's mandatory mask policy at every turn.."I’m happy for the students that won’t feel pressure from the school or teachers that want to assert dominance. I want the school to explain themselves and provide a reason or an apology, so I won’t feel fulfilled until then. However, I will take this win. I feel good about this..Wilfred Laurier said that while face coverings will no longer be mandatory anywhere on campus, students are still encouraged to respects others' choices to continue wearing masks. Students are also urged to continue self-monitoring for symptoms of respiratory diseases and stay home when ill.."The university may re-implement health and safety requirements at any time in response to changing conditions," they added..After the school brought back its masking policy on Nov. 8, 2022, Bachouchi decided he would wear a different mask every day until the school dropped the "authoritarian" requirement. He sported a bell pepper, a head of lettuce, grapefruit, plastic bag, and a scuba mask to mock the mask mandate..Bachouchi said he didn't believe cloth masks could prevent COVID-19 outbreaks on campus, adding people should be free to decide whether or not they wear masks because “it’s a fundamental right to medical choice.” .Wilfred Laurier's decision to drop the mandate comes just a week after Western University in London, ON dropped its mask mandate in instructional spaces. Western said in a statement the move was made at the recommendation of Ontario’s chief medical officer of Health, as the rates of respiratory illnesses in the province continue to decline..“Public health officials across the country agree COVID-19 will be with us for the foreseeable future, and as we learn to live with it, we will continue to adjust and adapt,” Western said in the release.
