Are you going to wear a mask?

To wear a mask or not to wear a mask? That is the question.

Courtney Wilson, a Stoney Creek resident, continued wearing masks and face shields in her customer-facing job as a banker even after the mask mandate was lifted earlier this year.

It made (customers) feel comfortable if I put on my mask and, at the end of the day, I'll do what makes them feel comfortable," Wilson said.

Wilson, who moved to IT at the same bank - a back-end, non-customer-facing job - said she had started to loosen up on wearing masks all the time. But with virus cases on the loose and finding herself infected with COVID-19 for the first time since the onset of the pandemic, Wilson is back to wearing masks.

We're learning to live with a virus; we're learning to move along (and) take precautions as needed," she said, still recovering from COVID. I think we should hold ourselves accountable ... and stay home (if sick)."

Wilson said she has been on and off with masks with minor sniffles or when in close spaces with others, like an elevator or a store. But once she feels better, she prefers not wearing masks as often.

On Monday, Ontario's top doctor strongly recommended wearing masks indoors as cases of influenza, RSV and COVID-19 continue to spike - overwhelming hospitals with a higher influx of patients with respiratory illnesses. Pediatric hospitals have been facing a capacity crisis with occupancy reaching 140 per cent at McMaster Children's Hospital, for instance.

Dr. Kieran Moore said a mask mandate remains a possibility, considering the pressures on the province's health-care system.

Despite the alarming situation and recommendation from the province's top doctor, it remains a choice for people to wear a mask.

Only a handful of people could be seen wearing masks at grocery stores, colleges, restaurants and other public places in Hamilton.

And many have similar responses to not putting back masks on - they feel safe.

Emmanuel Bank-Lawani, a public relations student at Mohawk College, said he hasn't seen anyone wear masks on the campus, except for maybe one or two students - who then drop it a day or two later.

There are no sanctions about COVID-19 in school. Everybody is going about the same. People are interacting," he said. Bank-Lawani, who has gotten his fourth shot, feels comfortable going to classes without a mask.

In his opinion, the situation is not alarming" and most people are not so worried about" the infection.

For Jadie Fleming, a mother of two children in elementary school and daycare, keeping her kids from in-person learning or forcing them to wear masks aren't the options.

I just feel like it's hard to prevent anything even if (they) wore masks in an elementary school," Fleming told The Spectator. She said that kids are still going to go around and touch each other's desks and chairs, or touch their faces from underneath their masks, and then touch something that somebody else touches."

They're vaccinated," Fleming said. The only constants for her kids are to keep washing and sanitizing hands to limit the spread of infection.

Fleming, who works at a customer-facing restaurant job, said she hasn't seen a lot of people wearing masks at the restaurant either. And those who do take the masks off once they're seated.

Dr. Catherine Clase, an epidemiologist at St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, said that the message from the government strongly recommending wearing masks will not be enough to get Ontarians to wear masks again."

For many able-bodied Canadians, the fear of COVID infections has diminished with vaccinations. But the number of infections and deaths are still high (and) public health can help people to make those connections through clear messaging."

Small businesses and religious institutions in Hamilton are continuing to follow what the provincial government is asking them to do.

For instance, some seniors at the Mountain Mosque on Stone Church Road are wearing masks, while people are welcome to make their choice about wearing masks indoors, said Javed Mirza, president of the Muslim Association of Hamilton. He noted the mosque will follow whatever mandates are sent their way.

Lucas D'Angelo, who is a painter with Juan of a Kind Painting, said that they are really compliant with the government rules" when it comes to safety indoors and, even prior to the government's recommendation, they continued wearing masks indoors if the clients felt uncomfortable.

Clase thinks the provincial government needs to have better communication" and discuss how much difference masks and mask mandates make" - and get people back to wearing masks again.

It's nice to be able to get out and do normal things again, and hope that the pandemic is over," Clase said. But unfortunately, the pandemic is not over and COVID is still killing people."

Ritika Dubey is a reporter at The Spectator. rdubey@thespec.com