Queensland is unlikely to return to the strict virus control measures in place early in the pandemic, despite the state recording nearly 10,000 new COVID-19 cases in its latest reporting period.
Deputy Premier Steven Miles said the strongest mandate measures were designed to protect people before they had access to a vaccine.
"Now that we have a vaccine, the set of measures that we put in place are necessarily different, because ... this kind of situation is going to continue," he said.
"The measures that were put in place are the kinds of measures that we can continue to implement when we see these waves."
Australian Medical Association (AMA) President Dr Omar Khorshid, though, said on Wednesday that state leaders and the federal government need to listen to health experts and implement mask mandates.
It is the only way to bring about change in community behaviour, he said.
"We don't leave seatbelts as optional. We don't leave speed limits as optional," he told reporters in Cairns.
"We know that we have to set rules in order to drive a behaviour that's important.
"And if indoor masks are important, then unfortunately that means an indoor mask mandate."
Another 9650 new COVID-19 cases were reported on Wednesday, with 15 people dying with the virus.
Five people also died with the flu, with another 158 cases recorded.
More than 1000 patients are in hospital with COVID-19, and another 49 with the flu.
But Mr Miles said the situation was under control in the state's hospitals despite beds needed for COVID-19 patients, and health staff off sick adding pressure to the system
"While this is undoubtedly a very significant load on the system, it is well within the range of expectation for our hospital surge planning," he said.
Authorities are encouraging anybody who is sick to stay home from work, with Queenslanders strongly advised to carry a mask.
"Have a mask with you at all times, there is a lot of COVID in the community right now and there is a lot of people in hospital," Mr Miles said.
Earlier this week, AMA Queensland's Kim Hansen said Queensland emergency rooms were facing their toughest COVID-19 wave to date as sickness and worker fatigue aggravated staff shortages.
