Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has announced a major easing of Queensland's COVID-19 restrictions, including the statewide mask mandate.
From 6pm on Friday March 4, masks will no longer be required in most indoor settings, including workplaces, schools, shops, cafes, restaurants and pubs.
They will continue to be required on public transport and in rideshares, as well as when visiting airports, prisons and disability and aged care settings.
It comes as Queensland recorded five more COVID-related deaths and 5,583 new cases in the latest reporting period.
Of the five deaths, one was in residential aged care.
There are currently 380 people in hospital with COVID-19, 30 people in ICU and 11 people on ventilators.
"These numbers are coming down as we come off the wave, " Ms Palaszczuk told parliament.
"We are cautiously optimistic the number of hospitalisations and infections have peaked which is why today I can make this announcement," she said.
Ms Palaszczuk said while "smiles are back", vulnerable members of the community should continue wearing masks.
"If you want to wear one, you can," she said.
Health Minister Yvette D'Ath said the mask mandate could be reinstated if there is a "significant" spike in COVID cases, particularly during flu season.
Chief Health Officer John Gerrard said there is a "significant chance" masks will be mandatory again "at some point".
"We assume there will be some secondary wave in winter, how large it will be – we don't know," Dr Gerrard said.
"If and when we do say mask-wearing is mandatory, we want people to take that seriously."
Ms D'Ath said vaccination requirements for entry to some public places will remain.
"We will continue to watch closely what happens with our cases and we will regularly be updated by the Chief Health Officer as to when we can move to lifting further restrictions," she said.
Density limits at weddings, funerals set to be scrapped
Ms Palaszczuk said from March 4, density limits will no longer apply to weddings, funerals or the number of people allowed at homes.
Food courts, hairdressers, gyms, private venue hire and universities also will no longer be subject to density restrictions.
Bans on visitors to schools, school excursions and assemblies will also be lifted.
"As these restrictions ease, parents who are yet to have their children vaccinated might want to consider bringing those vaccinations forward," Ms Palaszczuk said.
Ms D'Ath said schools will continue to have access to rapid antigen tests for students and staff who become unwell during the day.
Dr Gerrard said there had been an increase in the number of school children testing positive, with 1,967 cases between the ages of five and 17 in the latest reporting period.
He said the daily new COVID case numbers had also increased in the past 24 hours.
"I tend to focus more on the hospital inpatients, which continue to decline."
Ms Palaszczuk also said daily COVID press conferences will end from the first week of March.
"This is all about getting our lives back to a new normal … normal does not include a televised daily COVID update," Ms Palaszczuk said.
"We will still publish COVID numbers every day but from the first week of March, we will only see our Chief Health Officer when needed.
Dr Gerrard said "it was the right time" to roll back restrictions.
"This date was chosen because this will be the end of the Omicron pandemic wave for all regions of Queensland," he said.
"If we don't relax mask-wearing, the mandates now, then when would we do it?
"I plan to carry a mask with me at all times."
One year anniversary of vaccine rollout
Ms D'Ath urged people to still carry a mask in places where they cannot socially distance.
The union that represents non-government teachers and education staff said it supported the health advice.
Independent Education Union Queensland branch secretary Terry Burke said he looked forward to any measures that helped schools return to regular teaching environments.
"Clearly though, the opportunity remains for those individual employees who wish to wear a mask to continue to do so, if that makes them feel more comfortable," Mr Burke said.
Ms D'Ath said today marked one year since Queensland's COVID-19 vaccination rollout began.
"Since that historic occasion, our state clinics have administered millions upon millions of lifesaving vaccine doses," Ms D'Ath said.
"More than 10 million doses have been administered in Queensland.
"This means we now have over 4 million Queenslanders who are now vaccinated, this is an incredible achievement that many thought would not be possible at the start of the pandemic.
"Our efforts have ensured every Queenslander has had the opportunity to be vaccinated."
