Mr. Chair, I think from our perspective we always are open to what the science is telling us. We also recognize from the point of view of individuals that they make personal choices about what makes them feel comfortable. We're fully supportive of individuals making that choice, and if they feel the need to wear a mask, we believe that is something which individuals have a right to do. We certainly watch the science very closely.
Dr. Tam has offered that if people are to wear a mask, it's important that they know and understand the importance of wearing it properly and to think about how they should be putting on and taking off a mask. She has offered comments in the past about the importance of doing that correctly. In the context of all of the advice that we've given from a public health perspective, it's really important to do the right kind of respiratory hygiene: wash your hands and keep your hands away from your eyes, nose and mouth. Of course, as you're putting on and taking off the mask, you're certainly putting your hands near your eyes, your nose and your mouth. I think my colleague made reference to donning and doffing of personal protective equipment and the importance of doing that effectively from the training perspective. That would be our position in the context of wearing masks.
Certainly if individuals are sick or are symptomatic and are out and have the potential to interact with anyone else, we highly encourage wearing a mask, because that is one way to potentially restrict the transmission of whatever an individual may have to another person. Generally, we believe it's very important in the context of anybody who is symptomatic. Also, in the context of the air environment at an airport, I think my colleague Mr. Ossowski mentioned earlier that if there are individuals who are arriving in Canada and we believe that they are symptomatic, we ask them right away to put on a mask.
I'll stop there, Mr. Chair.