Key points:
- Face masks are mandatory indoors for anyone aged 12 years and over in Victoria
- They must also be worn outdoors when you cannot remain socially distanced
- The state recorded 11 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday
Masks will be mandatory indoors for Victorians aged 12 and above from Thursday as the state deals with another COVID outbreak, which includes 11 new confirmed cases.
he new rules, announced by the Victorian Department of Health, state that masks must be worn in all workplaces and secondary schools.
They must also be worn outdoors when you cannot remain socially distanced from those who are not from your household.
The Victorian Department of Health said at this stage there are no restrictions on the reasons to leave home or the distance you can travel.
Acting Chief Health Officer Dr Clare Looker said the new rules were introduced because “there are steps we can take right now to protect ourselves and each other”.
The state recorded 11 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday.
Most of the cases have been linked to removalists who are confirmed to have breached freight conditions by not wearing masks while visiting a Maribyrnong apartment complex on July 8.
Two schools, Barwon Heads Primary School and Bacchus Marsh Grammar School, have been closed after being visited by active cases of COVID-19.
Earlier on Wednesday, Victoria’s COVID-19 response commander Jeroen Weimar said authorities are working hard to control the situation.
“This is clearly a very rapidly moving situation, and we are very keen to make sure we get a very firm grip on this as soon as we possibly can,” he said.
What changes under the new mask rules?
⚠️ Face Mask Update ⚠️
As of 11:59pm, Wednesday 14 July, face masks are required to be worn indoors (excluding private homes) for people aged 12 and over.
Face masks are also be required outdoors where you cannot social distance more than 1.5m from others. pic.twitter.com/j4jKszm5wl— SinghStation (@MrSinghStation) July 15, 2021
- Masks are now mandatory in all workplaces. Previously an exception applied if the workplace was not ordinarily accessible by the public such as an office spaces or factories
- They are now mandatory in outdoor settings when you cannot socially distance. Previously it was only recommended to wear a mask if you could not physically distance
- They are also now mandatory in schools for students aged over 12. Previously school students were exempt.