Wearing face masks isn’t necessary for staff of private companies in areas inaccessible to members of the public, even though some may have been led to believe that when reading a public health order issued on May 3.
The order states that under section 25(1) of the Public Health Act, people entering an indoor public place within the communities of Yellowknife, Ndilǫ̨, Dettah and Behchokǫ̀ must wear a face mask at all times, including while entering many businesses. However, part 1(J) of the order states that while masking applies to “common areas of office buildings such as reception areas and elevators,” the exception is “private spaces and offices not ordinarily accessible to the public.”
Office of the Chief Public Health Officer spokesperson Darren Campbell on May 11 clarified that part of the order, and gave the example of Northland Utilities, where if people go into its office, it has a public-facing area where customers would have to wear masks, but in the back – where the public doesn’t go – masking is unnecessary.
“Or like an auto body shop,” Campbell said. “Staff wouldn’t have to wear masks in there because it’s not a public-facing space, but employers might require staff to wear them.”
Chief public health officer Kami Kandola introduced the order on mandatory masking on the same day as she ordered all schools to close in Yellowknife, Ndilǫ̨ and Dettah, as cases in the N.J. Macpherson School COVID-19 outbreak mounted.
The outbreak has since grown to include 51 cases, as of May 10.