- Officials have recommended the use of masks in Victoria, despite previously asking they only be used by healthcare workers
- Students aged over 12 will be required to wear masks, while police will be handing out $200 fines for those not wearing them in public
- The change in tone comes as Victoria records massive increase in COVID-19 cases, prompting border closures and the reintroduction of lockdowns
- 275 new cases of the coronavirus were recorded in Victoria in the last 24 hours, while 580 new infections were recorded at the weekend
- Meantime, an inquiry into Victoria’s hotel quarantine breaches has gotten underway
Officials are again pushing for masks to be worn in Victoria, as 275 new coronavirus cases are recorded in the state in the last 24 hours.
Another person also died from the disease overnight, while 580 new infections were recorded in the state over the weekend, 217 on Saturday and 363 on Sunday.
A record 428 COVID-19 cases were recorded on Friday, a concerning sign considering Melbourne has been in lockdown for over a week, with border restrictions stopping Victorians from leaving their state.
Masks for all
The surge in COVID-19 cases has also prompted authorities to backflip on their previous advice for masks only to be used by healthcare workers who needed them most.
Now, everyone in Melbourne and surrounding areas will be required to wear them in public.
Asked about the change in advice, Australia’s Chief Medical Officer, Paul Kelly, told the ABC he had always advocated wearing masks if it was necessary.
“In certain circumstances, they may need to be used, and those circumstances now exist in Melbourne,” he said.
The use of masks is not only mandatory for adults but also some teenagers, with students aged over 12 now required to wear them at school.
In a bid to increase compliance, officials will hand out 1.2 million face masks to public and independent schools across Victoria. Another 1.37 million masks are also being ordered by the state.
“The bottom line is, any student who needs a mask will be provided with one,” said Victorian Education Minister James Merlino.
However, the Education Minister said teachers won’t be required to wear masks at this stage if they don’t want to.
“It is not a requirement for teachers in the classroom because it is not always practical,” he said.
Students in Victoria are returning to remote and flexible learning today, with only select Year 10, 11 and 12 students required to attend class.
Meantime, amongst the new mask rules being introduced, are penalties for those caught without them.
Police in Victoria will begin handing out $200 fines from July 23 to anyone caught not wearing a mask in public.
Some exceptions are available to those with valid health issues, while full details of the new mask rules are expected to be released shortly.
No. No mask required at home or solo in your car. But please be patient as we get all the FAQs done and online. This isn’t even in effect yet and not enforced until Wednesday.
— Chief Health Officer, Victoria (@VictorianCHO) July 19, 2020
Hotel inquiry
Meanwhile, an inquiry into breaches within the hotel quarantine program has gotten underway in Victoria.
The inquiry was ordered after a number of COVID-19 cases were linked to security officers who had contracted the virus after inappropriately interacting with guests in quarantine.
In his opening address, Tony Neal QC, the senior counsel assisting the hotel quarantine inquiry, said all new cases of COVID-19 in Melbourne may be linked to the program.
“Comments made by the chief health officer to the media have suggested that it may even be that every case of Covid-19 in Victoria in recent weeks could be sourced to the hotel quarantine program,” he said.
The inquiry is expected to hand over its results later this year.