TORONTO -- Via Rail will soon require all passengers not wearing a mask to provide a certificate stating that they are medically exempt from wearing one.
, as of Nov. 9, passengers with a medical condition or disability 鈥渢hat makes it difficult to wear a mask must provide an official medical certificate along with a government-issued photo ID.鈥�
The medical certificate must indicate the passenger鈥檚 full name, specifies that the passenger has a condition or disability that makes it hard to wear a mask and must be dated and signed on official letterhead issued by a health-care provider.
Children under the age of two are exempt from this policy.
Via Rail鈥檚 new stance on masks mirrors Transport Canada鈥檚 . Transport Canada does not have a formalized policy for other modes of transportation, but has instead left it to the individual operators.
Wearing a face mask, maintaining a physical distance of two metres, and frequent handwashing are among the most effective measures to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, anyone with trouble breathing or who has a hard time taking off a mask without assistance should not be wearing a mask. Additionally, the agency notes that people with 鈥渋ntellectual and developmental disabilities, mental health conditions or other sensory sensitivities鈥� may also find it difficult to wear a mask.
