Mask rules have eased again in the ACT, with Canberrans no longer needing to cover up in most indoor settings.
However, some restrictions remain with the use of face coverings still mandated in certain high risk settings.
As of 11:59pm Thursday 11 November, the following rules are in place:
Masks will no longer be required in the office, while shopping, moving around a hospitality venue or when visiting someone inside their home.
However, front of house staff working in an indoor hospitality venue will still be required to cover up.
Masks will also still need to be worn in the following high risk settings for Canberrans aged 12 and over.
- Public Transport (bus & light rail)
- Taxi’s
- Rideshare services (Uber, Ola etc.)
- Airports
- Hospitals
- Aged care facilities
- Correctional and detention centres
- Accommodation facilities who support people vulnerable to diseases
- Schools
- Early childhood and care centres
- Out of school hours care services
ACT school students in year’s 7 to 12 will be required to wear a mask indoors while children in year’s 3 to 6 are encouraged to cover up if they feel comfortable doing so.
Provisions are also in place for people required to wear a mask, in the above settings, to remove their face covering in the following instances:
- Consuming food, drink or medicine.
- Undertaking vigorous exercise
- Because of an emergency
- 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 (eg if asked by a police officer).
- When the nature of a person’s work in one of the abovementioned areas means that wearing a face mask creates a risk to health and safety.
- When performing essential work in an indoor space in one of the abovementioned areas, but only when:
– in an office where no other people are present; OR
– when sitting or standing at a workstation in an office; AND
– 1.5 metres away from any other person
As soon as a person is no longer alone or moving around a setting where masks are required, their face covering must be worn.
Despite the easing of the mask mandate, Health authorities are still strongly encouraging people to wear their mask when in crowded and indoor settings where you can’t socially distance.