Changes to Mask Rules

Media release – Peter Gutwein, Premier, 4 March 2022

Staged approach to ease mandatory mask wearing

In line with public health advice, mandatory mask wearing in certain settings will be phased out in coming weeks as we continue our transition to live with COVID-19.

From 12.01am tomorrow, masks will no longer be required for retail settings, except for staff to ensure business continuity.

This means from tomorrow, you are no longer required to wear a mask when shopping at places such as shopping centres, supermarkets, department stores or other shops.

Additionally, from 5pm next Friday 11 March, masks will no longer be mandatory in:

• seated restaurants and cafes, except for staff in these settings;
• large outdoor events of more than 1000 people such as Salamanca market.; and
• offices and workplaces, with businesses to refer to their own COVID-safe plans and business continuity plans.

We have taken public health advice at every step during the pandemic, and this staged approach is another important marker in our ongoing transition to living with COVID-19 in our community.

However, masks do help minimise the spread of COVID-19 – so if you want to keep wearing a mask in any of these settings for your own protection or peace of mind, you can.

In terms of other settings where there remains an increased level of risk, such as pubs and clubs, we will have more to say on timelines to ease mandatory mask restrictions later next week.

If you’re not a retail setting, to be clear for hospitals, aged care facilities, transport, churches and gyms, the current mask rules will remain in place for now, recognising the higher risk associated with these settings.  The rules around schools will also remain as is, with an update on the last half of Term 1 to be provided next week.

Tasmanians continue to do a fantastic job as we move through this transition phase, and the reason we can now ease the rules around mandatory mask-wearing, in a cautious and responsible way, is because of our high vaccination rates that are helping to maintain lower levels of hospitalisation.

However, please remember the basics – maintain good hygiene, socially distance where possible, cover your coughs and sneezes, and stay home and get tested if you develop symptoms.

Media release – Dr Rosalie Woodruff MP, Greens Health spokesperson, 4 March 2022

Gutwein’s Reckless Removal of Masks

The Gutwein Government’s decision to remove universal mask wearing requirements for retail settings, and in hospitality and markets in a week, is a preposterous move.

The decision follows a week of sustained high Covid case numbers, including in primary schools, and denies the reality that many Tasmanians are not fully vaccinated, with three doses.

A substantial proportion of Tasmanians are not yet fully vaccinated, including no child under 12 years old. On Wednesday the Minister for Education, in response to our question in Parliament, admitted there are 1710 young people with active Covid, nearly 1300 of whom are in primary school.

Mask wearing reduces the risk of hospitalisation from Covid, as well as the risk of developing long Covid and its potentially serious and disabling consequences.

With the high amount of virus circulating among unprotected Tasmanians, the Premier’s removal of an indoor mask wearing requirement at this point is reckless, and careless about the chronic disease burden risk.

People can be infected with Covid and show no symptoms, or take days before symptoms appear. Universal mask wearing reduces the viral load in an indoor air space, and substantially reduces an individual’s risk and the level of infection across the community.

The Premier’s actions are inexplicable when children and about a third of adults are not yet fully vaccinated. He should return to putting the health and safety of vulnerable Tasmanians, including all children, beyond his ‘open for business’ focus.

In the current Covid climate, the Premier‘s decision is reckless and it flies in the face of epidemiological science. In this context, we urge all Tasmanians to continue wearing masks.

Media release – Tasmanian Small Business Council, 4 March 2022

Mask Relaxation Welcomed

CEO of the Tasmanian Small Business Council, Robert Mallett, today congratulated the Premier on the relaxation of mask wearing throughout Tasmania.

‘One of the most obvious signs that we are a community under siege is the consistent and mandatory wearing of masks.

‘The Premier’s announcement today that “from 12:01am tomorrow, masks will no longer be required for retail settings, except for staff, to ensure business continuity. This means from tomorrow, customers at places like supermarkets, department stores or other shops in town, will no longer be required to wear a mask”.

‘That customers can now freely enter most public premises without one will bring a greater sense of normality and should increase customer visitations.

‘Anecdotally, the wearing of a mask has been an unpleasant imposition and where a shopping event can be postponed because of the on/off/on/off mask requirements, customers have been choosing to save the individual shopping event until later.

‘Probably the most puzzling thing about today’s announcement is why are we splitting the relaxation over 2 weeks?

‘The piecemeal approach to the relaxation will confuse many. What real, measurable and positive effect of wearing a mask at this week’s Salamanca Market will there be as opposed to next week’s relaxation tranche 2?

‘We look forward to the results of the benefits achieved by the multi staged approach being published by the Dept of Health in due course.