Overview
While face masks were first mandated in Melbourne back in mid-July, the Queensland Government spent 2020 encouraging its citizens to cover up, rather than making face coverings compulsory. From 6pm on Friday, January 8, however, that changed — and masks aren't going away in Queensland any time soon.
At the moment, until 6pm on Monday, January 11 as part of the Greater Brisbane lockdown (in the Brisbane, Logan, Ipswich, Moreton and Redlands local government areas), masks are mandatory unless you're at home. When 6pm hits, the rules will loosen, but masks will still be compulsory in a number of circumstances, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced today. These new rules will be in place for the next ten days, so until at least 1am on Friday, January 22, in line with other venue and gathering caps that will come into effect when lockdown ends.
If you're spending time indoors somewhere other than your house, you'll need to wear a mask. That specifically applies at shopping centres, supermarkets, gyms, entertainment venues such as cinemas, libraries and places of worship, as well as workplaces where people can't socially distance. You'll also need to don a mask on public transport, and in taxis and ride share vehicles — and if you can't maintain social distancing outdoors, you'll need to wear one too.
This means you will always have to carry a mask with you, even if you're somewhere that doesn't require you to pop one on at that very moment. For instance, you don't have to wear a mask if you're outside at a safe distance from other people, exercising strenuously or in your own car — but you have to have one on you in case you come to a crowded area outside, for when you stop working out or for when you hop out of your vehicle if you're going to an indoor premises.
Discussing the new mask rules, Queensland Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young noted that mandating face coverings meant that other restrictions didn't need to be quite as strict. "Masks are quite a game changer. We didn't have masks in March went we did all of those restrictions then. We do have masks [now], so we can be more confident about our other strategies," she said.
As has proven the case during Greater Brisbane's lockdown, $200 fines are in effect for folks who don't comply with the mask rules.
For more information about the status of COVID-19 in Queensland, head to the QLD COVID-19 hub and the Queensland Health website. More details about the lockdown, masks and associated restrictions can also be found on the Queensland Health website.