Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has reintroduced a mask mandate in the state as new Covid cases grow in the state now border restriction shave eased.
‘It’s time to bring out these,’ she announced at a press conference on Friday, holding up a mask.
Mask will be required again in retail settings, hospitals, aged care, public transport, rideshare and airports from 1am tomorrow.
‘I’m asking Queenslanders once again, it’s a small price to pay for your freedoms,’ Ms Palaszczuk said.
‘We’re doing this to slow the spread of the virus… we know Christmas is the busiest time of the year for people shopping and getting ready.
‘We don’t want to see a massive escalation [in cases] over Christmas and New Year.’
The move comes as the state announced a spike in cases to 22 yesterday, after six the previous day. Three of the cases were confirmed as having the Omicron variant.
‘We’re doing this to slow the spread of the virus… we know Christmas is the busiest time of the year for people shopping and getting ready,’ Ms Palaszczuk said as she reintroduced a mask mandate for some indoor settings in the state
Masks will not be required in outdoor settings or in workplaces, the Premier said.
Ms Palaszczuk the new mandate will likely remain in place until the state reached 90 per cent of the eligible population with two doses of a Covid vaccine.
‘We’re looking good to reach 90 per cent single dose over Christmas, and double dose some time in January,’ she said.
The premier said the dramatic escalation in cases in NSW and the fact more than 60,000 border passes to enter Queensland had been received from people in interstate hotspots made the reintroduction of masks necessary.
Mask will be required again in retail settings, hospitals, aged care, public transport, rideshare and airports from 1am tomorrow. Pictured: People cross a Brisbane street while wearing masks
NSW Covid case numbers jumped again to 2,213 infections on Friday, with one death, while Victoria recorded 1,510 cases and eight fatalities.
Visitors from both states and the ACT were welcomed back to Queensland by road and air last Monday, provided they were fully vaccinated, possessed a valid border pass and had proof of a negative PCR test within 72 hours of arriving in Queensland.
More detail on the new mandate is expected to be provided by the Health Minister Yvette D’Ath and Chief Health Officer Dr John Gerrard at a mid-morning press conference.
Today’s case numbers are also expected to be announced.
Yesterday, Queensland Health Minister Yvette D’Ath urged Queenslanders to start wearing masks again in indoor settings after a spike in Covid case numbers to 22.
That was the highest number of new cases in Queensland since August.
‘Please, get out your masks and start wearing them anywhere in Queensland just to protect yourself and reduce the risk of the spread of this virus,’ Ms D’Ath said.
‘It is now not about the number of cases, but the number of people who end up in the ICU.’
Visitors from both states and the ACT were welcomed back to Queensland by road and air last Monday, but the state is on edge about the new Covid cases the travellers will inevitably bring
Chief Health Officer Dr John Gerrard said he expected the state would see a surge in Covid cases in coming weeks now that border restrictions had eased.
‘It is likely we’ll see fatal cases, particularly among the unvaccinated,’ he warned.
Dr Gerrard foreshadowed the mask mandate yesterday when he said the move was being looked at ‘very closely’.
Ms Palaszczuk praised a number of Queensland regions for reaching the 90 per cent mark on first doses of a vaccine, including Mackay and Cairns, but once again noted the Gold Coast was trailing state averages at just over 80 per cent of residents with a first dose.
The return of the mask mandate comes on the day Queenslanders need to display their vaccination status in order to enter most venues in the state.
The mandate is expected to last until 90 per cent of eligible Queenslanders are fully vaccinated.
Density limits on venues have been completely lifted, provided all patrons are fully vaccinated.
Some business owners have said they will openly flout the rules because they do not want to police the vaccination status of patrons.
Gold Coast businessman Glen day, who owns eateries such as Pancakes in Paradise in Surfers Paradise and The Aztec on Broadbeach, said he will allow unvaccinated people at his venues.
‘Money is not the important thing. It’s people’s rights that are important,’ he told the Today Show this week.
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