HALIFAX -- On Wednesday, the Public Health Agency of Canada made the official recommendation for Canadians to wear non-medical face covering whenever it wasn't possible to keep two-metre gap between other people.
But it's still only a recommendation and not a requirement, and it is what many people say they were doing -- especially at the grocery store.
"I would wear it in grocery stores, or inside buildings, areas that are a little bit closer quarters than outside on a beautiful sunny day," said Darlene Lawley.
Said Winston Adams:"My general rule is to have it hand on case I'm going to an area where there's restricted, you're restricted in your distancing."
Susan Kerslake started wearing a mask in late March.
"It was kind of interesting because I'm old too, so when I was walking around, older people were wearing them and we sorta had a little secret smile which we do with each other with our eyes or hands waving."
Martha Cody thinks it's a great idea.
"If it's going to save the healthcare system, and it's going to prevent someone else from getting infected, why would I not do that?" Cody said.
Provincial governments around the Maritimes are encouraging individual business to make their own regulations about wearing a face covering before entering.
At the same time, many people who are wearing a mask will be mingling with people who aren't.
"I'm not angry, I'm not frustrated, I just don't think it's very wise, and they are takin a risk to possibly taking a risk of infecting other people which is kind of selfish, but everybody has their own choice at this point, it's not being something you're being ordered to do," Cody said.
But as the pandemic has already made clear, things can change by the day.
The two major grocery stores in our region, Sobeys and Atlantic Superstore, say there has been no change to their policies about entering with or without a face-covering.
They're encouraging it, but it is not a rule.
