Cairns Covid third wave: Trinity Anglican School and Cairns State High School on mask mandates

Some FNQ schools have weighed in on whether they will need mask mandates after new rules were introduced amid a third Covid wave. SEE THE LATEST

SOME Far North schools have weighed in on whether they will introduce mask mandates after Catholic Education Cairns created rules from Monday amid the third wave.

Trinity Anglican School principal Paul Sjogren said the school would follow the up-to-date advice from Queensland Health which has not made masks mandatory.

“With that being said, we will continue to implement high frequency cleaning, increased ventilation and encouraging social distancing and mask wearing where possible,” he said.

Lillian Mitchell, of Holloways Beach, masks up to prevent the spread of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus. Picture: Brendan Radke

Mr Sjogren said masks would be readily available.

“We have advised all members of our community that we strongly recommend the wearing of masks if they wish to do so,” he said.

“We support staff and students in their decision and have a supply of masks available to anyone who wishes to wear one.”

Cairns State High School principal Christopher Zilm said the school would also follow health advice and Education Queensland.

Trinity Anglican School principal Paul Sjogren.

“We’ve made some adjustments to what we do. We put some assemblies online, our staff meetings are now back to an online platform,” he said.

“We are making sure there’s lots of sanitiser and face masks available, encouraging them to wear face masks indoor.”

From Monday, Catholic Education Cairns required students over the age of 12, as well as staff, contractors, volunteers and visitors entering the grounds to wear a mask.

Cairns Catholic Education Services executive director Bill Dixon said they were responding to the high rate of cases.

Originally published as Cairns Covid third wave: Trinity Anglican School and Cairns State High School on mask mandates