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- WA is scrapping the mask mandate on all passenger and public transport from Friday, September 9
- Premier Mark McGowan says this move is part of the transition out of COVID, allowing Western Australians to take the next step based on public health advice
- Transport Minister Rita Saffioti backed the decision but said members of the community may still wear masks if they wish to and that it’s “very much going to be a community choice”
- September 9 is also the date the National Cabinet agreed to remove the mask mandate on all domestic flights
The WA Government is scrapping the mask mandate on public transport from Friday, September 9.
In one week from today, masks will no longer be required on public transport, taxis and rideshare services. September 9 is also the date the National Cabinet agreed to remove the mask mandate for domestic flights.
Premier Mark McGowan said the decision aligns with the state’s transition out of COVID and assures it was based on the latest health advice.
“Our unique journey and soft landing allows Western Australians to take the next step based on our expert public health advice,” Mr McGowan said in a statement.
The move comes as active COVID cases are continuing to decline, with numbers this week dropping to levels not seen since early March when the Omicron strain first broke out in WA.
Minister for Transport Rita Saffioti backed the premier’s move by saying “it’s very much going to be a community choice.”
“Members of the community who want to continue to wear masks, of course they can, and they should if they feel they want to,” Ms Saffioti said.
Mr McGowan also said that from September 9, isolation requirements for COVID positive cases and their close contacts would be cut down to five days. This only applies to those who don’t have symptoms.
“To protect the community Western Australians are reminded to practise healthy hygiene, stay home if they’re unwell, test and isolate early and be cautious – especially when they visit high risk settings,” Mr McGowan said.
“Unfortunately, we are not out of this pandemic yet, and if necessary we will reintroduce public health measures if circumstances change in the future.”
Other changes in WA include the easing of visitation limits for aged care and disability care facilities. From today, each facility will able to determine how many visitors a resident can have in a day.
However, the mask mandate still applies to visitors at hospitals, aged care and disability care facilities, as well as at correctional facilities.
At this stage, mask mandates remain in place on public transport in New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory.
