Quebec mask mandate lifted in most places; where are they still required?

Quebec's face mask mandate has been lifted in most indoor settings as public health officials say the COVID-19 situation is improving across the province.

Quebec is the last jurisdiction in North America to remove the mask requirement.

As of midnight on Saturday, masks could come off — but not everywhere.

Here is a (non-exhaustive) list of locations where masking will no longer be mandatory as of May 14:

• Bars
• Restaurants
• Museums
• Shopping centres
• Cinemas
• Libraries
• CEGEPs and universities
• Performance halls
• Sports centres
• Elementary and secondary schools
• Grocery stores
• Bus stations
• Gyms

There are still places where masks remain mandatory.

These include:

• Public transportation (bus, train, Metro)
• Health-care facilities (hospitals, clinics, CLSCs) with the exception of mental health facilities
• Seniors' residences, RPAs

Public health does recommend that certain people still wear a mask indoors, such as the elderly, people who are immunocompromised and those who are at a higher risk of contracting COVID-19.

LISTEN ON CJAD 800 RADIO: Staying safe in public without a mask

People who have recently been infected with the coronavirus or who live with someone who tested positive are also strongly advised to continue wearing a mask for up to 10 days.

"When we have symptoms, we stay home and isolate, and we protect others," stressed Quebec's interim public health director, Dr. Luc Boileau.

On Thursday, the Quebec Health Ministry reported that hospitalizations had dropped to 1,821, with 60 people in the ICU.