Christmas nailed to mask
MASKS have been made mandatory in shops, hospitals, aged care, rideshare, airports, public transport and planes during the Christmas and New Year period.
It took effect at 1am today. There’s no requirement for them in pubs, clubs and other hospitality venues – but they are recommended. The mandate will be revisited when 90 per cent of eligible Queenslanders have had two doses of the Covid vaccine,
the state is now 83 per cent.
On Friday morning, 20 new cases were reported, including nine new locally acquired cases, seven interstate acquired cases and four overseas acquired cases.
“It’s time to bring these out,” said Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, pulling out a mask.
“… we know with the borders reopening we are going to see cases in Queensland.”
She said she was “concerned” the Gold Coast’s vaccination rate was still lagging behind other local government areas and there were a growing number of cases in the area.
“I’m asking Queenslanders to once again mask up. It’s a small price to pay for your freedoms. We’re asking this to slow the spread of the virus in shops and retail,” she said.
Health Minister Yvette D’ath said of the new cases, two were on the Gold Coast, 13 were in Brisbane, one was in West Moreton, two were on the Sunshine Coast and two were in Cairns.
She said numbers in NSW and Victoria were “growing quite rapidly” and were “quite concerning” and urged residents to get vaccinated, or a third booster shot if it had been five months since their second jab. On Friday, NSW recorded 2213 new cases and one death and Victoria had 1510 new cases and seven deaths.
Chief health officer Dr John Gerrard said a majority of the new cases were Delta.
He said mask wearing was about people protecting themselves and others.
“I think most people expected a mask mandate to appear around about now,” he said.
“(Masks) will also give opportunity to reduce the strain on hospitals.
“Mask wearing is not just about protecting yourself, but about protecting others.”
Destination Gold Coast chief executive Patricia O’callaghan said mask-wearing would be a normal part of life as the world learned to live with Covid.
“We know it’s happening in other states as well,” she said.
“It’s been an important protection line for living with Covid and offering safe experiences. The sooner we can get through that 90 per cent threshold the better it will be for all of us.”