When the clock hit 6pm on Friday, there was a slightly less-muffled sigh of relief from many Canberrans.
Masks were coming off. But not all of them.
Many Canberrans have indicated they will follow the chief health officer's advice to keep wearing their masks, even though the rules say they don't need to any more. Even then, there are plenty of places that we will still need our masks.
Masks will still needed on buses or trams, in taxis or rideshare services, at the prison, in hospitals, aged care facilities and at Canberra Airport. Workers who provide services to a person with a disability and in-home and community aged care providers will need one, too. Staff and visitors to schools will also be required to wear masks. Students in year 7 to 12 will continue to wear masks.
The messaging has been a tad confusing of late. Two weeks ago, we were told they'd be needed until the end of winter. Then last week, they wouldn't, but the government wasn't quite ready to tell us what was going to happen. Then, it announced the rules would be relaxed in most indoor settings. But quickly added that you should still wear a mask anyway.
ACT chief health officer Kerryn Coleman has strongly urged people to continue wearing masks in indoor settings where physical distancing is difficult.
"Mask wearing has been a really, really important part of minimising virus transmission," she said this week.
"So while we are easing the majority of our mandatory requirements, I really strongly encourage everyone to continue considering wearing a mask when you go indoors to public settings, particularly where you think it will be hard to physically distance."
Realistically, the changes have been made in line with easing of restrictions across NSW. The NSW government has announced that mask rules for students in the state will be lifted next week, although we haven't had an indication that will happen here.
In Canberra, masks are no longer mandatory for things like offices, gyms, pubs, restaurants and retail stores. Although there's a big but here. As well as the government encouraging people to use their discretion and don masks when appropriate, it is also encouraging businesses to put their own rules in place.
"So we now actually need businesses and workplaces to really consider their own circumstances and what things look like in their own operations. How best do you need to use masks to protect your employees, but also your clients as those people who come in and receive a service from you," Dr Coleman said.
Some shops will still require you to be wearing one to enter, and your boss might make you wear one in the office. So it's unlikely you'll be taking your mask off indoors everywhere just yet.
Plus, as Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith said when announcing the rule change this week, this mandatory mask-free time might not last forever. Winter is on the way, and that could be challenging.
"We do need to remind people that the situation can change very quickly," she said.
"We expect to see changes through the winter period and we've watched very closely what's happening in the northern hemisphere over their winter."
For now, though, Canberrans can take their masks off indoors - if they want to, and they aren't in one the listed places.
The rules
People 12 and over must wear a mask in the ACT in the following settings:
- on public transport, including a public bus, light rail vehicle, taxi, rideshare vehicle, hire car or demand response service vehicle
- drivers of these vehicles must also wear a face mask when transporting passengers
- drivers of these vehicles must also wear a face mask when transporting passengers
- on buses chartered for school excursions carrying children in Years 7 to 12
- staff and visitors entering a high-risk setting, which includes:
- hospitals
- residential aged care facilities
- correctional centres, detention place or other places of custody
- residential accommodation facilities that support people who require frequent, close personal care and who are vulnerable to severe disease
- hospitals
- residential aged care facilities
- correctional centres, detention place or other places of custody
- residential accommodation facilities that support people who require frequent, close personal care and who are vulnerable to severe disease
- in all indoor spaces at a school, early childhood education and care setting, including out of school hours, noting that only children in years 7 to 12 are required to wear a face mask while in an indoor space at school
- children in years 3 to 6 are encouraged to wear a mask when indoors at school if they are comfortable doing so at the discretion of the student and their parent of carer
- children in years 3 to 6 are encouraged to wear a mask when indoors at school if they are comfortable doing so at the discretion of the student and their parent of carer
- staff who are providing a service to a person with a disability which is funded or provided:
- under the National Disability Insurance scheme under the National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013 of the Commonwealth; or
- by the ACT government for the primary purpose of providing support to people living with disability, including the Special Needs Transport and Flexible Bus Service operated by the Transport Canberra and City Services Directorate.
- under the National Disability Insurance scheme under the National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013 of the Commonwealth; or
- by the ACT government for the primary purpose of providing support to people living with disability, including the Special Needs Transport and Flexible Bus Service operated by the Transport Canberra and City Services Directorate.
- staff who are working for an in-home and community aged care provider including:
- an approved provider for whom a home care subsidy or a flexible care subsidy is payable under the Aged Care Act 1997 (Cth), or
- service provider of a Commonwealth-funded aged care service, as defined in the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission Act 2018, delivering services outside of a residential aged care facility setting
- an approved provider for whom a home care subsidy or a flexible care subsidy is payable under the Aged Care Act 1997 (Cth), or
- service provider of a Commonwealth-funded aged care service, as defined in the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission Act 2018, delivering services outside of a residential aged care facility setting
- in Canberra Airport and on domestic flights into and out of Canberra Airport.
If you are in one of the above settings, you can remove a mask in the following situations:
- when consuming food, drink or medicine
- when communicating with a person who is deaf or hard of hearing and visibility of the mouth is essential for communication
- if asked to remove a face mask to ascertain identity (for example, if asked by a police officer)
- when the nature of a person's work means that wearing a face mask creates a risk to health and safety
- if it is necessary for the proper provision of goods or services
- when undertaking vigorous exercise
- because of an emergency.
- when it is required by law
- if it is not safe in all the circumstances
- in accordance with hospital policies or procedures
- when performing work in an indoor space, but only when:
- in an office where no other people are present
- when sitting or standing at a workstation in an office, and
- 1.5 metres away from any other person.
- in an office where no other people are present
- when sitting or standing at a workstation in an office, and
- 1.5 metres away from any other person.
Businesses and workplaces are encouraged to consider implementing their own mask-wearing policies, both for employees and clients and visitors.
Who does not need to wear face mask?
There is no requirement to wear a face mask for children under 12.
This remains at the discretion of parents and carers.
A person is also not required to wear a face mask if they have a physical or mental health illness or condition, or disability, which makes wearing a face mask detrimental to their condition.
A formal written exemption for not wearing a face mask based on the above conditions is not required under the public health direction.
Under the public health direction, an authorised officer is permitted to question why you are not wearing a face mask however, a verbal response is sufficient.
If you would like documentation, you can ask your registered health practitioner or disability care provider to issue a letter confirming your inability to wear a mask.
More details on the ACT's mask rules are here.
