Western University Drops Mask Mandate After ‘Promising Update’ From Public Health on Respiratory Illnesses

A group of Western University students hold a protest against the school's COVID-19 vaccine mandate in London, Ont., on Aug. 27, 2022. Nicole Osborne/The Canadian Press

Western University announced Monday it had dropped its mandatory mask policy due to the Ontario Chief Medical Officer of Health (CMOH) issuing a “promising update” on respiratory illnesses including COVID.

In a Feb. 6 website statement, the university said, “Effective today, Western will move from mandating masks in instructional spaces to strongly encouraging masks in crowded indoor spaces like large classes.”