Call for universal mask rule
AUCKLAND: The Government is already being lobbied to widen its public transport mandatory face mask rules to the entire country, rather than just Auckland.
Cabinet yesterday agreed that, from Thursday, people in Auckland will be required to wear face masks on public transport, and passengers on all domestic flights must also wear them.
The new rules were ‘‘another line of defence when it comes to the country’s Covid19 response plan’’, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern told reporters.
‘‘Now is the right time to make mask use mandatory in these situations,’’ Covid19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said.
‘‘[The rules are] a lowcost and practical option and presents a minor inconvenience by comparison.’’
Ms Ardern has also revealed the Government is looking into extending the public transport mask mandate to the entire country. There is, as of yet, no timeline and Ms Ardern said officials will be keeping a close eye on the uptake of the new rules in Auckland.
The new requirements do not appear to have a significant impact on events.
But entrants in Saturday’s Queenstown Marathon will be sent an extra briefing tomorrow, incorporating the latest updates from the Ministry of Health.
About 1900 of 10,000 entrants come from Auckland.
The event already has a substantial list of precautions to minimise risks of spreading Covid19, including encouraging use of masks on transport services and asking people to be mindful of contact with others during postrace celebrations. Queenstown Mayor Jim Boult said he did not believe risk was heightened by the town hosting the event.
University of Otago epidemiologist Michael Baker said people were most likely to catch the virus in indoor environments.
Against a backdrop of eight distinct border control failures since early August, encouraging and requiring mask use was sensible, Prof Baker said. This, together with contacttracing efforts, added a barrier against the disease, allowing people latitude to get on with their lives.
He was pleased with Cabinet’s decision but said massmasking on public transport needed to be nationwide.
‘‘There are MIQ facilities in multiple centres and thousands of people going through them. We’ve had breaches in Auckland and Christchurch. We have to plan for the fact these will keep happening.’’
He added that high school pupils should also wear masks on buses as they were good transmitters of the virus, as the August cluster showed.
‘‘I think it’s a mistake not to cover them,’’ Prof Baker said.
Yesterday’s announcement does not mean New Zealand, or any region of the country, is changing alert levels.
Rather, the mandatory mask usage will be included in the Alert Level 1 settings.
Previously, the mandatory use of masks on public transport was reserved for Level 2 and above.
The rules can be enforced by police, according to Mr Hipkins, but the focus would be to ‘‘educate and encourage’’.
By law, people can be punished if they do not follow the new rules, but Mr Hipkins said this would be a ‘‘last resort’’.
The punishment will be included when the orders are drafted.
Although the rules do not apply to people in Ubers or taxis, the drivers are required to wear a mask.
Children and young people travelling to and from school are exempt from facecovering requirements on school buses and other school transport.
Although mandatory masks on public transport are not yet at a countrywide level, Mr Hipkins still encouraged people to wear masks.
‘‘We are asking every New Zealander to continue to play their part,’’ he said.
Over the past few days — since Auckland had a Covid19 community scare — the level of compliance had been relatively high, Mr Hipkins said.
The new public health order, mandating the new mask rules, will come into force at 11.59pm tomorrow.