Overview
To mask up or not to mask up? Over the two years of the pandemic to-date, that's been a big question, and one that the Victorian Government has frequently changed the answer to. The rules around covering your face have tightened and loosened depending on case numbers, lockdowns and other restrictions, including bringing back in compulsory indoor masks in mid-December in response to the Omicron wave — but just in time for the coming weekend, that mandate is easing.
At 11.59pm on Friday, February 25 — so practically on Saturday, February 26 — masks will no longer be mandatory in most indoor settings. Instead, as the Victorian Government announced today, Tuesday, February 22, you will only have to don a mask in certain scenarios. And if this sounds familiar, that's because Victoria has been in this situation plenty of times before.
From the weekend onwards, you'll now just have to mask up on public transport, in taxis and rideshare services, on planes, and indoors at an airport — and if you're working in hospitality, retail and the court system, and either working in or visiting hospitals or indoor areas at care facilities.
Masks will also remain mandatory for folks working indoors at an event with more than 30,000 people in attendance, for workers at justice and correctional facilities, for workers at early childhood centres and primary schools, and for kids in year three and above at primary schools.
Also, if you have COVID-19 or are a close contact are you're leaving home in special circumstances, you'll need to keep masking up, too.
While it won't be compulsory, wearing masks if you work in a job where you're serving or facing members of the public — if you're at reception, meeting guests or serving customers — is also recommended moving forward.
As well as easing the mask rules, the Victorian Government is ditching the recommendation to work and study from home at the same time. So, you'll be seeing more people in general, as well as more of their smiles.
For more information about the status of COVID-19 and the current restrictions, head over to the Victorian Government's coronavirus website.