Are Face Masks Still Mandatory?

With the recent rise in COVID-19 cases in Australia driven by the highly-contagious BA.4 and BA.5 variants, many are wondering whether wearing face masks is still a matter of personal choice or mandatory.

Here are the latest mandates for wearing face masks in Queensland.

‘Strongly encouraged’ for students

As stated by Transport Minister Mark Bailey, schools are one of the key sites where COVID-19 could be spreading. “School is one environment where there are a lot of people together in the one space,” he added. Still, wearing a face mask is not mandated – only, ‘encouraged.’

Parents are worried about the possibility of their kids getting infected in schools. In that case, Queensland Premier Annastacia said extra Rapid Antigen Tests have been sent out to schools, so parents are able to test their children if they develop symptoms in the classroom.

One Tasmanian school took matters into their own hands. They started employing a better ventilation system despite being in the middle of a harsh winter. The technique lies in combining natural ventilation and mechanical ventilation. The goal is to eliminate air particles from an infected person in the room if any. While indoor air quality standards are patchy across Australia, this bold move is a step in the right direction.

‘Strongly encouraged’ for indoors where appropriate

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced the national cabinet was in agreement on consistent messaging around wearing masks, based on recommendations from health authorities.

Much emphasis was on wearing face masks in indoor spaces. Especially where there’s not enough good ventilation, people are mixing together and it’s impossible to social distance from each other.

Required in some settings

Particularly in Queensland, people are required to mask up in:

• health care settings
• public transport
• a taxi
• rideshare vehicles
• commercial shuttle services
• aged care, disability accommodation
• prisons and detention centres
• when outside of your home or accommodation if:
  • you have a temperature equal to or higher than 37.5 degrees
  • you have COVID-19 symptoms
  • you’re awaiting a COVID-19 PCR test result
• if you’re diagnosed with COVID-19, are a close contact, or are an international traveller (in accordance with other public health directions).
• domestic commercial flight while the plane is at a Queensland airport or in Queensland airspace.

The exceptions

In some situations, you can choose not to wear a face mask when:

• when you are eating, drinking or taking medicine
• children under 12
• when you are undertaking a disaster recovery or clean-up activity
• performing work where clear visibility of the mouth is required, e.g. a speech therapist in a hospital or healthcare setting
• where a mask needs to be removed to clearly communicate
• a person with a particular medical condition or disability
• a person who works on public transport infrastructure who does not have any interaction with the public and can socially distance (subject to your employer’s requirements)
• a resident of a residential aged care facility or a shared disability accommodation service (subject to any policies or requirements of a facility or service)
• a prisoner in a corrective services facility or a detainee in a detention centre (subject to any policies or requirements of that facility or centre)
• an air crew member or airport worker who is not interacting directly with passengers
• if a person is asked to remove a face mask for identity purposes
• if wearing a mask creates a risk to a person’s health and safety
• in an emergency or when required by law
• in any circumstances when it’s not safe to wear a mask.

If you have to remove your face mask due to an exception, please put it back on as soon as it is practical to do so.