Truck drivers crossing border must wear non-medical mask

by Today's Trucking

OTTAWA, Ont. – The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) has advised, effective immediately, that all essential workers crossing the Canada-U.S. border must wear a non-medical mask or face covering.

Truck drivers, being essential workers, must comply with the new policy to help curb the spread of Covid-19, but will not be turned away from entering into Canada. The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), which has been directed to implement the face-mask policy, will attempt to provide drivers with a mask should they not have one, the Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA) reports.

Non-medical masks are not medical devices, and not regulated like medical masks or respirators. A homemade non-medical mask is made of a cloth, like cotton, and may include pockets to insert other masks or filters and can be worn over N95 respirators.

Further guidance on the masks themselves can be found here.

Though non-medical masks may not be effective at blocking all virus particles that could be transmitted by coughing or sneezing, medical masks such as the N95 model need to be kept for healthcare workers and other people providing direct care to Covid-19 patients.

Non-essential travelers who are allowed across the border will be required to wear the face coverings in addition to isolating themselves for 14 days if they have symptoms of Covid-19, or entering a quarantine for 14 days if they don’t show symptoms.

Essential workers like truck drivers who do not show symptoms of Covid-19 are not required to enter a 14-day quarantine when crossing the border. But those who show symptoms will be told to isolate themselves for 14 days.

“Canada’s response to Covid-19 is based on the latest scientific evidence. As we learn more about this illness, we must adapt our public health measures and our border measures appropriately,” Chief Public Health Officer of Canada Dr. Theresa Tam said in a related statement.

“These new requirements for travelers are part of our multilayered pan-Canadian response to this epidemic. We will continue to keep Canadians informed about the risks of Covid-19 and the actions we must all take to plank the curve of this epidemic.”

The border officials are not the first to require such masks. New Jersey has since April 10 required workers and customers to wear cloth face coverings when at essential retail businesses, warehouses and construction sites. A related order required the businesses to provide such face coverings for employees at their expense.

  • This story has been updated to include further information about masks and other border protocols.

Face mask Covid-19

A homemade, non-medical face mask.


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  • Why are non essential people still being aloud to cross the border? In this time in our world only essential workers should be aloud back and forth, on planes, cars, trucks, trains, buses and what ever else you can travel on or in. No new immigrants should be aloud to enter Canada at this time. Since we are distancing ourselves no visitors from other countries should be aloud here also. Stop letting people just come here and take advantage of the stupidity of our government. We would like to live safe and free again in this lifetime. If the government keeps allowing all of this to happen, we will be living like this forever.

    • While I agree our borders should be shut tight until we get through this I don’t see anywhere in the article stating that immigrants or visitors from other countries are are coming here so your statement seems to be from out in left field. My guess is that Canadians are still being allowed to return home. Or at least I sure hope so.

  • Are these masks just to protect the Customs Officers, or must Drivers “wear them at all times” while in Canada?

    It is sensless to wear a mask in a truck, or ANYWHERE ELSE if all alone!?

    Masks could provide useful when in “close proximity” (2m, 6ft) to others.

    However, mask or no mask, except in DIRE CIRCUMSTANCES, or when impossible like in a store, 2m or 6ft is NOT ENOUGH SOCIAL DISTANCE!

    “Social Distancing”:

    3, 7, 15 foot RULE: Stay a minimum of 3ft away from others, preferably 7ft away, even SAFER 15ft away.

    Better yet: “3, 7, 15 meters of Social Distance” when possible…

    3, 7, 15 meter RULE: Stay a minimum of 3m (~10ft) away from others, preferably 7m (~23ft) away, even SAFER 15m (~50ft) away.

    Why?

    Research by scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has measured that coughing spreads droplets as far as six meters (6m/ ~20ft), and sneezing as much as eight meters (8m/ ~26ft). These droplets can stay suspended in the air for up to 10 minutes.

  • Wear a mask, then customs will tell you to remove it so they can see your face, then they will hand back your passport from their gloved hand which was infected by a previous traveler, it’s a miracle any of us are still alive !

  • It’s just another way for the govt. To run ur life there is way to much media influence in all this beer virus more people die from the common flu or cold then this only reason it’s so bad as they say is because the govt just wants to run everyone’s life not mine I’m a germ phobe as it is n I will not wear a mask for the reason I cant breath with anything over my face sorry just wont happen

  • Would be nice if we could get mask were trying to supply country and truckstops not making any attempt of selling mask and now were looking at $1000 fines trucking companies dont seem to care either

  • Custom people use one set of gloves to pass paper work etc. Germs therefore passed to everyone from custom workers. Safer to use hand sanitizer between each vehicle coming thru. They don’t wear masks. Customs don’t like truck drivers wearing sun glasses they get upset, how will they handle truckers wearing masks.